Gardening is not simply about the fun or the harvest. For me, it is even more about the lessons the plants teach whenever I slow down long enough to pay attention.
A few days ago, I was preparing to leave town for several
days. The weather had been brutally hot, with no rain in sight, and some of my
plants were already beginning to dry beneath the scorching sun. I had just
returned from work, completely exhausted. All I wanted was to eat, take a
shower, and go to bed early so I could wake up refreshed for my trip.
But I had two choices. I could go to bed and enjoy a few
extra hours of sleep, knowing I might return to shriveled, burned plants. Or I
could spend those hours giving the garden a deeper watering than usual, hoping
it would sustain the plants until I came home.
I chose the latter. Before I knew it, two hours, and then
three, had passed. It got so dark that I had to use my phone's flashlight to
finish watering. I was tired, but I was fulfilled.
When I returned from my
trip, the plants were obviously thirsty, but they were still standing and
thriving. The water I had given them before leaving had carried them through
the days I was away.
And I could not help
thinking: Is life not like that sometimes? There are moments when every part of
us wants to stop, quit, or settle, yet something within urges us to give just a
little more.
It might be an extra hour of studying or working. A few
more minutes in prayer. Another chapter of God’s Word. A little more patience
when you are running on empty. An encouraging phone call. A genuine smile
offered to a stranger even while your own heart feels heavy.
Never underestimate the value of that extra effort. Like
small deposits in a good savings account, these choices can produce dividends
we do not see until the day we need them. The extra hour of studying might earn
the point that helps someone pass. Time in God’s presence may bring the wisdom,
clarity, or courage a difficult decision requires. A simple smile might become
the brightest moment in someone else’s day. A word of encouragement may give
another person enough strength to keep going.
But gardening has taught me something else too: sometimes
the ‘extra watering’ is not doing more. Sometimes it is resting.
Sometimes it is saying yes when help is offered. Choosing
stillness instead of striving. Taking care of yourself so your body can recover
and your soul can breathe again. Rest can replenish strength, renew zeal, and
prepare us for the next season of growth.
The wisdom is in recognizing what the season actually
needs. On that particular night, my garden needed three hours of water. On
another day, faithfulness may look like putting down the hose, accepting my
limits, and allowing myself to rest.
After all, “Paul may
plant, and Apollos may water, but only God gives the growth” (1 Cor 3:6–7). Our
part is to plant, water, rest, and obey as He leads. The outcome has never
rested entirely in our hands.
So keep planting. Keep
watering. When the season feels especially hot and unfavorable, do not give up.
Water a little more if that is what God is asking of you, or rest if rest is
the watering your soul needs. Then trust Him with what only He can do.
The harvest belongs to God. Our work is to remain attentive
enough to know what faithfulness requires today.
Sometimes faithfulness means watering a little longer.
Sometimes it means putting down the hose and letting your own soul be restored.
Chidi - counselor, gardener,
storyteller, and lifelong student of the lessons hidden in ordinary moments.
Garden & Reflections offers a glimpse into the experiences
and everyday lessons that shape me beyond the therapy room. These personal
reflections are shared thoughtfully while honoring the professional boundaries
of the counseling relationship.