Word of the Day
Beloved, the diligent and the wise prepare their gardens ahead of time from the foundation of the soil up. You have done so by giving Me entrance into the very fabric of your life. I am the foundation of your life…the salvation of your heart. Your spirit is made alive in Me but your soul still contains uncultivated ground. Don’t fret…everyone’s does.
Your uncultivated ground is broken up by being in submission to My Word when it comes as conviction (not guilt) to your heart. I never ask you to clear all your land at one time…only what I show you. This is where some falter and I do not want you to do so. Don’t try and cultivate things on your own by digging in areas of your garden…by digging in areas of your heart where I am not working. I know just how to work the soil bit by bit until all comes into alignment with who I made you to be. It is imperative for you to follow Me…abide in Me…abide in My Word and learn to hear My voice in many different ways.
Beloved, when you do this, keeping in sync with Me will be much easier. Sometimes you try getting out ahead of Me to fix yourself. Don’t try to find things wrong with yourself that I am not working on. There will be enough time for all that. One thing fixed strengthens the foundations of your life in order for Me to deal with another. I have told you many times that I work line upon line and am mindful that you are but dust (Isaiah 28:10 Amplified).
I tell you to break up the uncultivated soil of your life…but only in response to what I have spoken to you or am speaking to you. This is like planting your garden with all kinds of varieties of plants at different times and seasons for the greater benefit of each plant. As a result they all come to harvest at different times making provision possible on a continual basis. While one variety is planted in cultivated soil, the gardener can be working on other soil all the while nurturing what He has already planted with the expectancy of great gain. When it comes to harvest, faith and excitement grow in relation to the rest of His crop to come. This is called hope.
Many of those I love plant their garden with a variety of seasonal, perennial and evergreen varieties in order to have fruit for every season. They understand all seasons and all varieties ultimately have their root in eternal things. Though the results hoped for are not always evident, they know all things will eventually work to the good. As usual, in all things whether good or bad, faith is tested.
Why am I telling you all this? So you can learn to look deeper and learn many things from the natural things of life which I created. In doing this you will save yourself much worry and self-chastisement in the long run. Every season is beautiful to Me. Every variety of plant is beautiful to Me …all are created to survive in different kinds of environments. All have a purpose and if you persevere you will find fruit in evident places, in secret places and in unlikely places…under leaves, in the ground…hidden inside of often ugly exteriors or in less than desirable environments.
Therefore, have My perspective on things…have My love of process and enjoy the journey as we turn over the uncultivated places together…as I teach you line upon line and rain upon you the rains of righteousness. Come and seek Me for I am waiting to be found by you in every area of the garden….Read Complete Love Letter
Sow for yourselves according to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); reap according to mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you (Hosea 10:12 Amplified)
Prayer
Lord, I will be diligent and wise to prepare my garden as You lead me. I realize my soul still contains uncultivated ground and is in need of being changed. Therefore, I will be submissive to Your Word. Thank You that You are not asking me to clear all my land at one time. This would not be wise for I could not keep it all at once. I will walk with You line upon line and precept upon precept as I move from glory to glory.
I will surrender the areas You desire to be cultivated for Your service. I will follow You and listen to Your voice as You are continually working within me with great delight. You are mindful that I am truly but dust. Lord, forgive me when I get ahead of You and try to fix myself. I will wait on You Lord, with great expectancy, as I look for the harvest in many areas of my life.
I am so thankful for the hope I have in You. I realize that there have been, and will be, times when the results I desire are not seen as quickly as I want or in the way I might have imagined. I also acknowledge You are sovereign in the midst of all testing. I will not give in to worry or self-chastisement. Instead, I trust in You and the work You are doing in me.
Lord, I Praise You and declare the faith I have will persevere and bear fruit in due season. Teach me the ways of Your humble heart that I may embrace the process and enjoy the journey. I love You Lord. Amen.
Reflect and Journal
1. Are you willing to allow the uncultivated ground in your soul to be broken up by the Lord knowing He is preparing it for future fruitfulness and victory?
2. What area…what land has the Lord been working on in your life…what area does He want to cultivate the most? Are you letting go…are you letting Him have His way regardless of how painful or downright hard it might seem.
3. Have you found yourself trying to dig in (fix) areas that God is not asking you to deal with? If so, is it out of guilt, fear, or shame? The Lord directs our steps and He directs our healing and freedom as well…it is all about following. Are you willing to let that area go until the Lord asks you to address it? Sometimes in order to let it go, forgiveness is the key…forgiveness of self or others….which leads to forsaking shame, guilt and fear. Trust Him. He knows the very best time to set you free. Besides there may be a key block or step that needs to happen first in order to make the thing you are trying to fix come into alignment.
4. Ask the Lord to give you His perspective that you may see the process He is taking you through as He helps you to become more fruitful. Describe the process and the new perspective you receive.
This ministered peace to me today.