I’m pretty simple. I’m Christian. I’m Keto. I grow things. Recently I wrote an article for Thrive Global on the positive effects of my gardening hobby. Like many people, I started growing stuff last year while I was in my sparkling isolation. I began gardening as a way to assert some level of control in my life while the world was going haywire. I’m so glad I did because gardening has really strengthened my faith.
Gardening and Faith
This month I’m doing a series of articles on Thrive Global about how my new container gardening hobby has had such a positive effect on my life. The biggest of which being a better understanding of my faith. Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see. That’s Hebrews 11:1. I planted seeds and had to wait for them to grow, trusting that what was on the package would be the final crop. That’s faith! I wish we all had that much faith in the Word of God. Am I right?!!!
Faith from Seeds
Jesus used a lot of gardening and farming illustrations during his ministry. Now that I’ve started my container garden, chapters like Matthew 13 with the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Weeds have come to life for me. I’m telling you, my container garden preaches to me.
In Matthew 17:20 Jesus tells the disciples if they only had a mustard seed of faith they could move mountains. I get it now. I’m amazed at how much growth comes from a tiny seed. It encourages me to know that if I start with a tiny seed of faith in my life, God will make it grow into something bigger that requires potting up.
Potting Up
Potting up is a fascinating part of container gardening. Basically you begin growing your crops in tiny seed cells that are no more than one or two inches. After the little sprouts have true leaves, you move the plant into a slightly larger container. In the case of tomatoes, peppers, and larger plants, you move them into a larger container after a few more weeks. You may even pot them up again. So you go from a two-inch pot to a four-inch pot to an eight-inch pot before putting the plants into their final home which is usually somewhere between 14 to 22 inches. The idea is that as the plant grows you don’t want to overwhelm the roots with too much space. They may become long, but weak. By keeping the plant in the right size container as it grows, it develops a stronger, more robust root system to feed and nurture the growing plant. Better roots. Better crop.
Go ahead and shout if you got it!
As I was potting up my tomatoes and peppers I realized that this is also the way our faith builds. We start with mustard seed faith, believing God in small areas of our lives. As we trust God in small areas of our lives, we begin to trust him in bigger areas. The more we actively and purposefully put our trust in God, the more we trust Him instinctively. Our roots grow stronger and as we grow through life, our faith is strong enough to sustain us during the most challenging times.
Plants with strong roots don’t get toppled over by wind and rain. The roots are strong enough to keep the plant steady in the storm. Also, plants with a better root system produce more fruit. The more you believe God can do, the more you will do, trusting God to do it through you. Make sense? As you pot up your faith, you’ll venture out of your comfort zone and pursue new things that can be quiet fruitful for you.
What do you really believe that God can do through you? Start there and watch your faith grow.