Until recently, I never realized just how hard it was to keep a garden. I am currently growing a vegetable garden and never thought I would be spending so much time keeping the weeds from overtaking the garden. The same thing can happen to our mind if we’re not careful about keeping it clean, well-kept and in step with the Spirit of God. Being in communion with God is extremely important to keep our spiritual fruit from being eaten by pests, choked by weeds, drowned by torrential downpours, or scorched when the flames of life threaten to overtake us. God is the gardener of our mind and if we let Him, He can grow the most brilliant, vibrant and breathtaking garden in our mind, full of His tender loving care and His peaceful presence.

             Our main goal in life is to live out God’s will for our lives, which is pretty fitting because God’s will usually always aligns with passions of ours and natural talents and gifts we have. Sometimes we may be uncomfortable to get where we want to be but after all the awkward moments of mistakes and failures, we push through into His promises to reap a harvest from the hard work we put in. There are times when our mind may get beaten down with doubts, criticism and mean-spirited people who act like pests that start to eat on our harvest and leave holes of doubt and skepticism in our brain. Or like a weed, those thoughts get planted and need to be weeded out before they become bigger. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5. Sometimes even people you go to church with can make you second guess yourself and your relationship with God, not intending to but faith must be tested in order to make it strong.

             There are some people who can only be successful in life if they have God leading them through everything, then there are others who have the drive to accomplish what they need to do to get where they want to be. Those people will never be fulfilled though until they have God leading them in life. Every heart aches for union with the Almighty and is never fully joyful, fully satisfied until communion with God takes place. I am one of those people who’s parents never taught them to have goals and things to aspire to, so it’s been hard even thinking of goals to write down and accomplish because it’s not something I grew up learning how to do. But, God is slowly teaching me how to set goals for everything I do and do life with Him, instead of apart from Him.

“I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” John 15:5-7

             Life has trials and tribulations from time to time and those trials can leave you feeling defeated, deflated, and set ablaze your peace and your relationship with God. Those trials are like the scorching sun in summer time or like a torrential downpour and really start testing your faith in God and even confidence in yourself. God’s plan won’t work for your life if you’re second guessing Him every step of the way. Trust in God and His Word is an absolute must when you’re doing life with God. God is the best gardener in the universe and knows what He’s doing when He let’s the dirt cover you, the sun scorch you, and the rains to drown you: all these things lead you to Trust Him.

“So neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters anything, but [only] God who causes the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one [in importance and esteem, working toward the same purpose]; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3-7, 8