The Gardener Knows
Looking back over the past four years, I can see there were some very rough waters. Seasons I would not have chosen. Seasons filled with questions, heartache, and moments when the path ahead felt uncertain.
But God…
As He always does, He carried us through.
I am learning that when we hang on, stay faithful, and continue trusting God, the blessings begin to appear.
And if we become still enough…
Sometimes they fall right on top of us.
The Great I AM stepped into my garden — a garden that had become overgrown, tangled, and full of weeds. Some weeds had been there for years. Some had grown so intertwined with the flowers that it was difficult to know what needed to stay and what needed to go.
But the Gardener knew.
He lovingly began the work of clearing, pruning, and removing what was taking up precious space.
At first, the garden looked nearly empty.
What was once full now felt quiet.
The familiar flowers were gone, and the open spaces felt lonely. There were moments when the garden felt bare, sad, and honestly a little discouraging.
But God was not destroying the garden.
He was preparing it.
After a long season of stillness, new growth began to appear.
The soil became healthier.
The ground became fertile.
There was finally room for new seeds to take root.
Because when the weeds are removed, the flowers have space to grow.
God has been doing something good all along.
Even in the seasons I didn’t understand.
Even in the moments that hurt.
I have learned to praise Him in the beautiful seasons and praise Him in the difficult ones.
Being thankful for both the blessings and the battles has been a journey of its own.
But here is what I know:
God is faithful.
God is good.
All the time.
Sometimes it is difficult for us to see the difference between the weeds and the flowers when they are growing so closely together. We only see what is in front of us.
But the Gardener sees the whole garden.
He knows what needs to be removed.
He knows what needs to be restored.
He knows what is waiting to bloom.
As Scripture reminds us:
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 1:6
Today, I am grateful for the Gardener.
For the pruning.
For the waiting.
For the empty spaces.
For the new growth.
Because sometimes what feels like an ending is actually God preparing the soil for something new.
And the beautiful thing about our God is this:
He never wastes a season.
Finding Jesus in the everyday means learning to trust that even when we cannot see the flowers yet, the Gardener is still at work.