Interior Gardening

      So last week we talked about those wonderful gardens you are all planting this year and how to have them really grow and give you wonderful fruits/vegetables to eat. But have you ever considered your interior garden? Planting an interior garden is not that much different than your outside garden. Well, at least the steps aren't all that different.

     First, once again, you have to have a desire to grow those wonderful plants inside of you! What? Plants inside of you? Well, not like watermelon, corn, tomatoes, etc., it's more like love, patience, kindness, etc.. Does that make more sense? Anyway, just like the other garden, you have to have a desire. Once you have a desire then you have to plant the seeds of those qualities that you want.

     So now you have the desire and you have the seeds! Can you just throw them anywhere and have them grow within you? Again, like your other garden, you have to plan where to plant them, which is in your mind and heart, and have a plan as to how you want them to grow.

     And now you are done, right? Hold on! What about feeding the seeds? You can't just think of them once, plan your plan and then never think of it again, or even just once in a while. If you want those good seeds to grow you have to continue to give them the nutrients they need: pondering, practicing, working on them. So if you do that, your job is done, right? All of the good you plan on will grow without an issue.

     Umm! Remember our other garden? What else grew in it that you had to work to keep them out? Weeds! Right! But how do weeds grow in your interior garden? Well, those "give it up thoughts", those "I am just not good enough", those "I tried and it just isn't working", or even those truly negative and bad thoughts about anything that Satan can plant in your heart and mind. And, just like those other weeds, you can't just pull them out once and throw them away. It takes repeated effort AND the smaller they are when you pull them out the easier it is. And that goes for both kinds of weeds! Anytime we let a weed of any kind stick around, it is going to grow and grow until it nearly takes over and it can also kill the good plants. And IF you let it grow and try to pull it out, it can pull out your good plants with it. So always, always remember to pull and destroy those weeds no matter how many times you have to get rid of them!

     So, growing that physical garden last week was hard, And it will be, but it will be worth it! Planting that interior garden, whether it be emotional, mental, spiritual, and even improving yourself physically, is going to require as much work if not more! BUT don't give up! It is worth it! And even more worth it than your temporary physical garden of tomatoes, watermelon, corn, etc., because these interior fruits stay with you throughout your life, continue to grow, and someday can make your life as good and perfect as our Savior Jesus Christ. After all, these fruits, you DO take into the next life with you!!!