This morning as I was rejoicing over the beautiful sunflower that has finally appeared in my garden, I heard the Lord say...”patience is needed to let the plant gain its strength to support the bloom”. You see I have been anything but patient about these sunflowers. I love their blooms, and these were planted by seed back in early June.
As I continued thinking on what the Lord said, I realized that for all of us who are waiting on the plan of God to unfold in our lives, we must look at the seed sowing and growing process to develop a godly patience that keeps our faith strong. Waiting is hard for our soulish life. We reason that “if” God really wanted us to have His blessings, well, He could manifest them NOW!! Why should we
wait?
wait?
In Galatians 5:22 it says, “But the FRUIT of the (Holy) Spirit (the work which His Presence within accomplishes) is love, joy (gladness),peace, PATIENCE (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness, (benevolence), faithfulness... (emphasis mine).
This past spring, I dedicated many days to rejuvenating our backyard into a garden of flowers. I cleared stones, raked, pulled weeds, and watered and watered and watered. It had fallen into disrepair over the past four years as Herb and I went through cancer and recovery, a broken shoulder and recovery, and then the laying down of a ten year ministry. I would look daily at my backyard and see nothing but rocks, cracked earth, pine needles, and disarray. It was not an easy task for me to do,
but, every day I did something to improve that yard, and today, though I still have a work in progress: I now have beautiful garden spots filled with blooming flowers.
but, every day I did something to improve that yard, and today, though I still have a work in progress: I now have beautiful garden spots filled with blooming flowers.
This lesson of patience in this garden has deepened my spiritual awareness, also. I understand more now of the work of the Holy Spirit in my own personal life. He took my life of disrepair and planted the Seed of New Life in me, making me a brand new creation in Christ. He came to live in me to give me the wisdom to begin the daily work to clear the stones of stumbling, rake the soil of my heart to receive more of His Truth, pull the stubbornness, doubt, and unbelief out of my heart, and to come to the Living Water of the Word every day so that I could grow in grace.
Like the sunflower that needs the strong stalk to give support so that it can bloom and be held upright, so do we need the Word of God to strengthen us in order to stand. The believer’s life began as that work of the Holy Spirit Who came so that we could bear fruit for God’s Kingdom. His job is a heavy responsibility indeed, and He is tireless in His faithfulness to produce in us the very life of Christ. He knows the plan of God for the entire body of Christ as well as the individual saint. He is God with us.
Yes, I did rejoice as I finally witnessed the glory of the sunflower that bloomed. My Father is also rejoicing over me and YOU, for He sees what the seed of His Word is producing in us, even though we cannot. Let His Word have its complete work in our hearts. Let us welcome the continued efforts of the Holy Spirit in developing the fruit of the Spirit for the glory of the Lord.
Like the sunflower that needs the strong stalk to give support so that it can bloom and be held upright, so do we need the Word of God to strengthen us in order to stand. The believer’s life began as that work of the Holy Spirit Who came so that we could bear fruit for God’s Kingdom. His job is a heavy responsibility indeed, and He is tireless in His faithfulness to produce in us the very life of Christ. He knows the plan of God for the entire body of Christ as well as the individual saint. He is God with us.
Yes, I did rejoice as I finally witnessed the glory of the sunflower that bloomed. My Father is also rejoicing over me and YOU, for He sees what the seed of His Word is producing in us, even though we cannot. Let His Word have its complete work in our hearts. Let us welcome the continued efforts of the Holy Spirit in developing the fruit of the Spirit for the glory of the Lord.
Let patience have her perfect work! (James 1:4-8)
Morning Glory
Charlotte
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