Okay, so life is really good right now. I am blessed beyond measure and overwhelmed by God’s goodness and care for me. He has truly led me to a steady, nourishing place relationally, spiritually and emotionally.
It can scare me as well though that life is SO good. Because what now? Does it mean that God has moved on and is busy with only His children that are really struggling hard? That I am forgotten? Left to myself?
A half year ago, the ministry I am a part of, was challenging and growing me. It was a stretch to lead a volunteer team and pray and lead devotionals for prostitutes at night.
Now the same tasks and responsibilities do not demand as much energy from me anymore. Things have just become easy. I am still grateful to serve there and God is still moving. But I am sometimes bored because what stretched me before, has become a comfort zone now.
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There is definitely a danger in being comfortable and content. The danger of just going through the motions and not involving God in what I am doing. Guilt and condemnation can easily creep in because are you not you supposed to always be out of your comfort zone? And is it not supposed to always feel new and exciting when you do something as meaningful as reaching out to the prostitutes in your city?
In my restlessness and longing for more, JESUS met me afresh with His comforting peace. He reassured me about where I am in life right now and told me to just keep abiding in Him. To keep pressing in and keep on keeping on. He is not far from me even though I am in a comfortable spot right now.
He revealed to me how He is like a Gardener going through His garden, that is my life. He enjoys looking upon what He has sown there, how it has grown into flowers, and how He Himself has made dry spots into a well-watered garden. Like a Gardener watches over his garden in each season, God’s gaze is ever towards me. I am the garden He rests in and tends by pruning, cultivating and producing fruit. He fills the garden up with Himself. He births and shapes ideas and visions in this garden of my heart. He Himself provides the Living Water and He is the Light. He does it all. My part of the labor is to yield and receive until I overflow.
So instead of doubting if I am in a healthy, growing place in my life, I sense the Lord’s invitation to CELEBRATE! He is smiling at the flowers He has made blossom in my life.
I know, in His perfect timing, He will call me out of this comfortable place I am in and begin birthing and watering the new seeds that are already forming on the inside of me. Calling me to take new territory for the Kingdom. To risk, dream and create afresh.
“The land you are entering to take up ownership isn’t like Egypt, the land you left, where you had to plant your own seed and water it yourselves as in a vegetable garden.
But the land you are about to cross the river and take for your own is a land of mountains and valleys; it drinks water that rains from the sky. It’s a land that God, your God, personally tends—he’s the gardener—he alone keeps his eye on it all year long.” (Deutoronomy 11:10-12 MSG)
Beautiful promises here. We are not left to ourselves. This journey of life consists of both mountains and valleys. And Gardener God keeps his eye on it ALL YEAR LONG. In each season.
If you are also in an easy, comfortable season with the urge on the inside for more; God sees you too. He does not operate from a measure mindset so that He only sees the one struggling more than you. He sees both the downcast and the joyful. He sees YOU.
I pray we will invite God to design the garden of our hearts. I pray we will let God celebrate what is already flourishing in our lives. And I pray we will trust His commitment to see the seeds planted in our gardens grow up and be all it was meant to be.
Let us abide. Let us press in. We are not forgotten. God prunes us even in good times so that we may bear more fruit.
“In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.” (James 1,19 MSG)
Enjoy your season! His gaze is on you.
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