I was visiting a friend yesterday and we decided to put together one of her wedding presents, an AeroGarden Space Saver 6. For any of you that have never seen or heard of one, they’re pretty amazing. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous.
How does it work? It uses a unique method of hydroponics called Aeroponics that allow the plants to grow significantly faster.
As we began assembly, I began to think about my faith. What if it could grow as fast as the herbs in this garden could? What if in 5-7 days my faith could be as beautiful and green as the parsley will be? If only it was that easy.
I have been a follower of Jesus for almost three years. The first week I became a believer, I was on fire for Jesus! I thought life would be perfect from that moment on – no tears, no problems. I got hit with a big dose of reality. My life was far from being perfect. Five months after accepting Christ, I was out of a job, had a brand new house, and my five year relationship had just ended.
It was December of 2006 and what I could describe as one of the worst, and best moments of my life. Part of me felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders, and the other part of me was lost, wondering where to go from there. The week of Christmas I sat alone in my living room floor sobbing. I cried out to God. I begged for His forgiveness and mercy. I remember telling him that whatever He did for me from that moment on, I knew was His will and I could make it, as long as He didn’t leave my side.
Fast forward to today. I’m still struggling with many hardships, and I still find myself crying out to Him. I still find myself begging for forgiveness and mercy. And I still find myself wanting to do things according to His will, but not completely letting go.
What does this have to do with the AeroGarden? Where would I be if my faith grew in five days? I don’t want to know. If our faith grew that fast, what would we have to live for? We’d be perfect right? There are days I’m hard on myself because I feel my faith could be stronger; there are days I am amazed at how far I’ve come. There have been many trials in the past three years that probably wouldn’t have happened if my faith had grown at super speed.
Perhaps I could have saved many tears and nights of crying out to God. But I wouldn’t take them back for anything. I have seen miracles come from my growth in faith. God has wiped my eyes many times. I have felt His presence in my most desperate hours. And I know that as I grow older, my faith will grow stronger. I don’t want to rush it. I don’t want to miss out on something great because I got in a hurry.
I want to take it day by day. When I am thirsty and my soul needs watering, God will be there in His perfect timing. When I am hungry, He will provide. And you can bet that when I need to be pruned, He will be there. He is the perfect gardener, and I am his His creation. He watches me grow everyday. When weeds surround me, He removes them. Everyday, my roots are strengthened, allowing me to grow into something beautiful. There are days that I wilt, but He is there to bring me back to life.
Let’s not rush it!