Have you ever noticed how some trellising plants grow, like wisteria or delicate jasmine?
I’ve been watching my recently potted pink jasmine twining itself up the trellis I planted it in front of. And I noticed something fascinating. On just the second day, after it shot up overnight!
It naturally grows and loops counter-clockwise.
(For all of you master gardeners, who already know this fact, please don’t laugh!)
Every individual shoot twines that way, even when it runs out of supporting trellis and has no choice but to sag and then loop back down, it winds down the support in a counter-clockwise direction.
When I tried to get it to go the other direction, (I’m a scientist; I like to experiment!), it sagged or tried to unwind and rewind itself. Clearly, the growth genes in it weren’t happy, and resisted my efforts.
And then I started thinking that the same thing happens to me. When I’m not growing and developing and maturing the right direction, I sag and try to rewind. Even if I can’t put my finger on what’s happening, I can feel it.
I struggle emotionally, physically and spiritually. My life is unbalanced and chaotic. I’m not very fruitful, and I’m almost always frustrated. And oh, so tired.
Goad kicking—
In Jesus’ terms, I’m “kicking against the goad.” Which is hard. I’m resisting what the Holy Spirit wants me to do, resisting the life He has planned for me. The best life! I’m living life with one foot in my faith and the other on a spiritual (worldly) banana peel. Which isn’t a very stable, fruitful, (or pleasant) way to live.
If I try to rewind my jasmine and force it to grow another way or direction it isn’t designed to grow, I end up with a chaotic looking plant. And probably a stunted one. Lopsided. With ugly gaps.
If I give it the water, nutrients, and sunlight it needs, and maybe just help it get started in its tendril-support searching, I can stand back and watch it grow vigorously. It’s symmetrical and fascinating. It properly fills in the open spaces and is pleasing to observe. It brings me satisfaction and joy. I don’t really need to do much work to have it grow into a beautiful plant, because I’m allowing (and encouraging) it to do what it was designed to do.
How about you?
Are you growing the right direction, the way you were designed to grow? Allowing the Holy Spirit to nurture you and guide your growth? To provide the right support?
Or are you fighting your natural growth and His leading; and, in the process, wasting precious time, energy and resources.
For the weekend—
I know. It’s a holiday here in the U.S., but a three-day weekend is a perfect time to settle back and think about things in life.
Take some time this weekend to make some “field notes” on yourself. Like a biologist, environmentalist, or any other outdoor scientist does when assessing nature and what it tends to do naturally.
It won’t take long. Jot down the major areas of your life—physical, emotional and spiritual, and maybe work, family, personal relationships—and make some notes on how you’re growing in these areas. Don’t write down how you should be growing; just how you seem to be growing right now.
If you want, put happy, sad, or neutral faces next to each one. For now, just do the preliminary assessment without making any self-judgment calls.
Be a scientist researching yourself. Make it entertaining and fun.
NEXT WEEK: we’ll look more at how you should be growing. And what you might need to correct the direction you’re growing so you can be healthy, strong, and fruitful!
Until then, enjoy some plants and beautiful gardens!
Blessings,
Andrea
May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).