Cultivating the Garden
.jpg)
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” — 2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
Imagine someone giving you a beautiful garden. The soil is rich, the seeds are planted, the water is available, and every tool you could possibly need has been provided.
What a wonderful gift!
But what happens if you never tend to it? If you never water the plants, loosen the soil, pull the weeds, or pay attention to what is growing?
Before long, the garden begins to suffer. Not because the gift wasn't good, but because it was never cultivated.
Our walk with Jesus is much the same.
God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness through His divine power. We cannot earn this gift, and we certainly cannot improve upon the Giver. But we have been invited to participate in what He is growing within us.
We don't cultivate to earn the gift. We cultivate because we treasure what we've been given.
In 2 Peter 1:5–7, Peter encourages us to make every effort to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.
Notice that Peter first reminds us of everything God has given us before encouraging us to make every effort.
The gift comes first. The cultivating follows.
And isn't that a beautiful picture of grace?
Cultivating our spiritual garden means spending time getting to know the Gardener. It means opening His Word, listening to His voice, trusting His promises, and allowing Him to gently reveal the things that need attention.
Sometimes cultivating looks like pulling a weed of bitterness before it takes root. Sometimes it's watering a weary heart with God's promises. Other times it's simply sitting quietly in His presence, remembering that growth comes from Him.
And some seasons require more tending than others.
There will be dry seasons, difficult seasons, and seasons when we wonder if anything is growing at all.
But the Gardener hasn't abandoned His work.
Jesus reminds us in John 15:5:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
The goal isn't to become a perfect gardener.
The goal is to remain close to the One who gives life.
So today, take a little walk through the garden of your heart. Notice what is growing. Notice what needs tending. And most importantly, notice the Gardener who lovingly walks beside you.
He isn't standing at the garden gate demanding that you produce something beautiful for Him.
He is inviting you to walk with Him as He grows something beautiful within you.
The gift is His. The power is His. The growth comes from Him. And what a privilege it is to tend what He has so graciously given.