This spring we planted a vegetable garden. It’s been really cool, but I think we might be better at growing bugs than vegetables. Our garden is full of little caterpillars, aphids, ants, flies… all chowing down on my plants. Our garden is full of holes and bug covered vegetables.
Months ago, when I first noticed the bugs, they were only on one plant and didn’t seem like a big deal. A friend told me that spraying down the leaves everyday would help with the aphids, but I didn’t listen. The plants grew, but so did the bug population. Now instead of getting to enjoy the vegetables from my garden, I’m picking through threadbare leaves, with the blood of a thousand caterpillars on my hands. I can’t help but wonder if I had put a few minutes a day into addressing the bug problem when it was small, maybe there would be some kale left.
There are other places in my life where big struggles probably could have been reduced with a little more daily attention. One struggle I’ve been working through is a ton of anxiety (and a lot of tears in embarrassing places like my boss’s office, or my boyfriend’s birthday party). I’ve spent quite a bit of time talking to Jesus and trying to figure out how in the world I got here. Usually, the root cause is that I picked up a lie at some point and started believing it. Things like “I need to earn people’s love and attention” or “If I just work hard enough, I can keep xyz from falling apart.”
At first, it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal… it’s just a thought, right? I moved along, not paying attention to how these thoughts were growing in my heart and mind… until my peace and joy had more holes than my kale.
The good news is that we have a Jesus who loves us right where we are, holes and all. AND he also loves us way too much to leave us there. He comes in with his spirit and his word, washes us off, clears out the lies, and reminds us of what’s true so that his good fruit can grow again.
I’ve been learning to pay more attention to the bugs in my garden and to the thoughts in my head. Not every thought or idea that pops in my head is helpful. Dwelling on it may not seem like a big deal now, but squashing those thoughts and replacing them with truth now is such an important step in fighting the struggle down the road. The small steps you take today to pursue meditating on God’s truth are worth your energy today.
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” - Philippians 4:8
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you... the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. - John 14:16-18, 26
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. - John 16:13
What have your thoughts been like lately? What truths is the Spirit reminding you of today?