If you are going out of town and need someone to care for your plants, do not call me. I have this amazing ability to kill even easy-to-care-for plants. Friends have tried to teach me. I have followed schedules for watering and feeding. I just do better with the fake plant variety.
I had one plant I tried really hard with. I watered it faithfully, every Wednesday. I moved it to an eastern facing window so it would get morning sun, but not the hot afternoon sun. I pruned off dead leaves. It began to grow! For months, I was consistent and it felt like I had really overcome my plant killing tendencies.
Then life got busy. Kid stuff, family stuff, money, health, and more and I forgot about my plant and its routine. I walked by one day and saw my sad, wilted plant. I called my plant friend, and what she said not only gave me hope but was so profound.
“It isn’t dead, it is just neglected. Let’s clean it up and let the roots do their thing.”
There was hope! Here’s the thing: my relationship with God is much like my relationship with live plants. It requires attention and consistency.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Ephesians 3:17, NLT).
Things like prayer, reading my Bible, studying, confession, surrender … these are all the things that help my roots go deep with God. When we tend to that relationship, the roots grow. There are days where we neglect our relationship, but that doesn’t end it. It isn’t dead. It is just neglected. It is time to clean it up. Confess the neglect, then address it. Reestablish the schedule. My plants have “Water Wednesday.” My relationship with Jesus has – that’s what works for my schedule. Jesus and I chat throughout the day, but I need some distraction-free time for conversation. I also need a specific plan. There are lots of devotionals out there to help guide you. I love following a plan on YouVersion or reading from the One Year Bible. But I also love books like Annie F. Downs’, “100 Days to Brave,” or Sadie Robertson Huff’s, “Live on Purpose.” You choose what works best for you, but make a plan.
Without a plan it is too easy to slip back into neglect. Do the things necessary to grow deep roots, but still don’t ask me to plant sit.
Questions:
- What have you neglected in your relationship with God?
- What can you start doing today that will allow roots to grow deep?
Jennifer Iverson (jenniferiverson.com)
