Season of planting

In the last couple weeks, I have gotten into my flower pots & containers for spring planting! It has been such a long, cold winter that I am late in getting the plants in the soil. Finally, after the season of winter (which took up much of the spring), I got my hands in the dirt! My planters were still filled with the remnants of last year's flowers (dead twigs & sticks & weeds).

So my first job was to dig those roots out of the soil & move the soil around; digging any old weeds out. I had to dig around the roots; they wouldn't just pull out of the dirt. It took some work to dig around & deep enough to pull the whole roots out.

I then had to move the soil around~like "tilling up" the deeper ground. I was surprised to find that the soil was easy to move around. Last year, I had purchased "good, rich, nourished" soil and it had served the plants well. And now, the soil was still good & rich. I did add some "new" rich & nourished soil, so this year my plants should look beautiful (as long as I take good care of them).

After "tilling" the soil and adding some new, rich soil to the planters, I carefully selected the right flowers for the conditions (full sun; part sun; morning sun; afternoon sun; shade). The planting required placing the small plant in the right spot, watering & securing the soil around the plant.

I am daily watering the plants, looking for any weeds (to get them out before they take "root) and watching them grow!

As I have spent these last couple weeks digging in the soil, doing the hard work of planting, I was reminded of this "season of planting" spiritual principle:

"Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns." (Jeremiah4:3) and "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you." (Hosea 10:12)

The first job I have to do is pull out the weeds (from the roots). This can be painful, because we have to dig around & deep to get to the bottom of the weed. This is a time when I ask the Lord to dig deep & pull out the weeds (like bitterness, unforgiveness, an unloving attitude, anger, pride, hatred, etc.). His Word is what goes deep to the root to lift it out. His Word even shows me what roots are in my heart's soil.

Now the "tilling" of the soil in my heart begins. I need to move the soil around so my heart is "plowed" well. In order to do that, I need to 1) humble myself before the Lord, 2) Confess my sins by name to the Lord & 3) Repent & 4) Seek the Lord so He can show His righteousness on me. The soil in my heart is rich & nourished as I spend time in God's Word & in His presence. As I do, the "tilling" is easier & weeds don't take root as quickly! It is worth it to abide in Him!

How do you know if your heart is "unplowed ground"?
1) There will be little or no revelation from the Word of God
2) No recent confession & repentance before the Lord
3) There are no tears
4) A lack of spiritual hunger
5) bored with spiritual things
6) Little or no vision
7) Little to no passion for the things of the Lord

To begin the plowing:
1) Seek the Lord & ask Him to make your heart soft & pliable (that He would till it)
2) Ask the Lord to give you a hunger & thirst for His Word and for spiritual things
3) "Plant" those things that will lead you into a deeper relationship with the Lord (being in the Word, surrounding yourself with people who love Jesus, praying, getting into a church where there is community & Truth taught from the Word of God & where the Holy Spirit is alive)