Tending the Soul

I love my plants. On my deck are large ferns and baskets of geraniums and verbena trailing over the rails. I enjoy pruning the spent flowers and watching the new growth spring into action. It’s a small little plant oasis for me. To see the fruit of my tender love and care brings me great joy.

I have always enjoyed growing things although I must admit that I have killed more plants and flowers than I have been able to help flourish. My ferns and flowers are not picture perfect. But I keep at it, because it is good for my soul.

Trusting that each cutting back of a “spent” flower will produce continued growth and beauty brings me joy. A joy that is not so much happiness as it is a deep contentment, a deep satisfaction that comes from being connected. Yes, I am connected to my flowers and my plants. Crazy? Maybe. However, for me tending to my geraniums and watching them grow over the summer reminds me of my own life. I am reminded as I snip dead blooms, that it is God alone who gives life and growth. And I am reminded of why God seeks to prune away deadly sin from my soul; a judgmental attitude, ungratefulness, and self-centeredness. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. I know you have your own list also, if you are honest, which is necessary when tending the soul.

John Ortberg writes in his book, Soul Keeping, the soul is the deepest part of us. Our soul is what integrates our will (our intentions), our mind (our thoughts and feeling, our values and conscience), and our body (our face, body language, and actions) into a single life. A healthy soul is integrated, when there is harmony between the will, the mind, and the body.”

When we are connected with God and other people we have a healthy soul.

Unfortunately, notes Ortberg, “The world has replaced the word soul for self.” To focus on self apart from God means losing awareness of what matters most. The more we focus on ourselves the more we neglect our souls.

“Self is a stand alone, do it yourself unit, while the soul reminds us we were not made for ourselves. Innately, we know the self is not the soul, even as we do everything we can to preserve it.”

Our souls are made for God, to be rooted in God the way a geranium is rooted in the soil for growth, nourishment, and protection. If our souls are not rooted in God we cannot live as we were created to live. Without God’s pruning away that which is deadening (sin) we are not able to grow as God longs for us to grow.

Summer is a good time to soak up the sun, to be refreshed from the rain, and to allow God to prune all that does not produce beauty in our lives. Pruning can be painful. However, every time we allow God to prune away sin, growth will happen. Spend time tending your soul this summer by surrendering your soul to God’s tender love and care. May your life be filled with His beauty.

Lynn+