“Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not;
and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.” Luke 12:27
Growth is a daily activity. People, plants, plans, and projects don’t grow over night. They develop little by little each moment, sometimes unaided and unnoticed. When we get too involved in everyday living we often miss the little spurts of growth that show us life is thriving and moving forward. We go and go and go while working diligently, paving the way, and making things happen and fail to observe the things that are happening and what God is doing in our lives.
Before we know it, time ticks by, seasons change, kids grow up, dinner is done, parties are over, special events pass, projects are completed, flowers wilt and harvest comes and goes. We blink and what was ahead of us is now behind us—a distant memory of where we were going. Now is the time to wake up to the daily growth in our lives.
Observe the Progress
Too much of our time is spent observing what others have seen, done, or enjoyed. Many settle for living vicariously through the lives of those seen on television, in social media, in magazines and in books. We postpone our dreams to watch others live theirs when we should be growing and progressing too.
One year I attended a writing symposium about one of my favorite authors. As the program progressed, I was intrigued that she was referred to as the “Observer.” As I looked around the room, I noticed the audience seemed to hang on every word as the panel discussed her work, experiences and observations. That is when it hit me. We were all sitting in a stuffy conference room on a beautiful day observing the observer. I noted that in my journal and made the decision right there to become an observer. I didn’t want to spend my life studying what someone else did or saw. I wanted to learn, listen, live and document those experiences for myself.
God gave each of us a unique life. Others’ observations may inspire us but our growth and progress will be measured by what we do with that inspiration and our own observations.
Celebrate the Growth
To celebrate our growth, we have to pause and take notice. You know the, “run barefoot in the grass, sing in the rain, stop and smell the roses, tip-toe through the tulips, take a pic it lasts longer” kind of noticing. Those are the times when we soak in and savor the essence of an experience and see the blessings of that moment. We’re not promised tomorrow, so we should celebrate our growth each day.
Maintain the Momentum
God helps our life’s gardens grow and that growth gives us the motivation to maintain that momentum. As we grow in faith and faithfulness our lives blossom in righteousness. Observing how our gardens grow shows us how God works in the soil of our hearts; and it’s a beautiful process to behold.
“For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden
causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God
will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” Isaiah 61:11
Bring It Home
Watch your garden grow this week and post your observations in the comment section. (Can’t wait to hear what’s growing…)
Praying for you as we grow together,
Smiles, BRC
I’m inspired by your love of gardening. It’s not on my list of favorite activities, although I enjoy seeing what other people do. However, I did buy two lovely indoor plants last week and some flowers for the pots on my patio, so I count that as progress.?
Lol. You go Ms. Karen! Container gardening counts too! Let me know how it goes. I mean “grows.”
Smiles, BRC