reflections on gardening and spiritual growth.

Do you ever have months (or years) where growth feels stagnant? In hard times, do you ever feel like God has forgotten about you? Have you ever asked, “God, what could you possibly be doing in my life right now?” If you’ve ever felt static, forgotten, discouraged, or stuck, know that you are not alone.

One day, God gave me a simple analogy about seasons when we feel stuck or forgotten. Root vegetables (which happen to be my favorite) grow underground, hidden from view. Their growth may be invisible to the eye, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. In fact, this underground growth is essential; it ensures that the vegetables absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from the soil. Then, at the time of harvest, the hidden growth is suddenly revealed.

Sometimes what God is doing in our lives isn’t immediately obvious, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t working. In Philippians 1:6, the Apostle Paul says, “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." God is always molding us, shaping us, and sanctifying us, even when we can’t see it.

Just like root vegetables absorb nutrients underground, waiting seasons allow us to grow in a powerful and unique way. Jesus, our Savior, prepared for 30 years before he started his ministry. Yet, His pre-ministry years weren’t meaningless. If Jesus didn’t skip over the preparation, then neither can we. While some seasons feel long and slow, they are foundational to the fruit that will come later.

In John 15: 1-5, Jesus reminds us that God is always doing a good work in our lives. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Here is the definition of pruning: “to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth.” Spiritually speaking, God is constantly cutting away the things that hinder us so that we can live fruitful lives. Is that a fun process? Not at all. Yet, we can be comforted knowing that God is preparing us for something good. If you’re in a season of underground growth, you are not alone and the harvest is coming!