There’s a lady I know who lives in a nearby city. She has believed the lie, that is “keeping up with the Jones’s”. Now in her 40’s, she has pursued the feminist version of being the modern independent woman who will get her way, come hell or high water. She has never met a man good enough for her. She is single. She has no children. She has constant ailments. She says she believes in Jesus, yet exhibits no ‘peace that passes understanding’. She remains lost in this world, clueless, after a lifetime half passed at this point, of what to do, or even of how to exist here anymore. She’s at the end of her rope after another dead end relationship has left her broken. She is desperately searching for meaningful companionship, because she was actually designed that way. But she has believed and been deceived by a lie. She doesn’t even know about a garden.
She is not alone. There are so many people claiming Christianity that we all know personally (or at least in passing), who are sick and tired of being sick and tired. And not seeing their dreams fulfilled. They have checked the boxes, done the things, yet still feel unfulfilled. Some are living with regrets from a lifetime ago, that were never intended to be carried like that. Some have turned to drugs, alcohol, or some other type of addiction. Some want to be married more than life itself. Some feel trapped in the world they have created for themselves. All are lacking inner peace. No matter what anyone’s personal struggle is, be it mental, physical or emotional, they need to fall in love with gardening, and hang out with Jesus.
You see, millions of American “Christians” have been raised in a culture that says, you have to live a strict kind of religious life, where you are basically still a worthless sinner that needs to be in constant repentance 24/7 like a whipping boy or something. That is just not found anywhere in the Bible I read. Legalism is alive and well in the uneducated hearts of baby Christians. They have done church but missed the cross. Or they treat their salvation like a Golden Ticket and heaven is the Wonka factory. There is freedom in becoming a new creation. But please read, lest you perish for lack of knowledge. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want even my worst enemy to be in Hell. Well, maybe there’s one or two I won’t cry over, yet Christ still wants even them. Do the people in your life even know you’re a Christian? How dusty is your Bible?
When you walk in the garden with Him every day, the world looks different. You don’t think about yourself first in ANYTHING anymore. Walking in the garden includes daily worship, daily prayer, having a daily discipleship mindset, daily communication in various forms, as well as daily reading of His Word. When you are there you are straight up hanging out with God. And you can feel the love that He has for you by the way He guides your moments. You will happily die to yourself. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Then he said to them, ‘Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'”
He truly wants only the best for us. But you can’t make a fake garden set in your world and try to make Him exist there. You’ve got it backwards. You have to hang out in His garden with Him. When you’re driving. When you’re pooping. When you’re making dinner. When you’re vacuuming. When you’re working your hardest at your 8-5. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” If you claim to be a Christian, this is all taught in detail in the book you claim to also believe in, the Bible. Maybe read it.
That’s basically what this is…you enter a place mentally that you are not thinking negatively about anything or anyone. As you live your life and encounter all manner of men and women, young and old, you start to see them as He sees them. You will begin to want the best for their soul. You will take Him into consideration when you make your own life decisions. But you can even forgive the jerks in traffic. And pray for them as you let them pass. You will start to love your neighbors as yourself. Crazy, but possible.
In general, I meet dozens of people a day, 4 days a week. Some I will only see once in this lifetime. Some I know I will see every day. With every encounter, I want to exhibit ‘the peace that passes understanding down in my heart.’ Because I do have it. And my goal is to just love everyone I talk to every day, and try to be a kind positive influence for them, for that day. I hope they will want this joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. I truly believe that God gave me my employment to first grow me closer to Him, and second to love others as I’m directed to in the Bible. Sometimes I feel like I’m supposed to get nosy and befriend someone the old me wouldn’t have. Some of my dearest and most beloved friends have come from patrons of the store.
They certainly don’t need me to judge them. They and others are doing that already. They just need to see that God loves them, exactly how they are, today. Completely. He doesn’t require they clean up their act or follow these laws or those commandments in order for Him to love and welcome them into His family, His home, His garden. He would love to help them make positive changes in their life during their hang sessions. All we have to do is say yes to Him. Yes to Jesus. He will help you figure out the rest as you go. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Since the people I meet won’t be reading a Bible any time soon, for the most part, I must show it to them. In my actions and conversation.
He wants us as children who participate in a proper environment as pictured in the family unit, explained in the Bible. It functions beautifully if you just read the Manual and apply it in your life. Who wouldn’t want that? Well, since Satan is trying to distract us from having that relationship with God, we also need to recognize his prints all over the messed up evil going on in our world today. At every corner, he tries to thwart God’s will for us – to walk in the garden together and hang out as a beloved child. (Think Prodigal Son) Satan doesn’t want us to choose the God of the Bible, but to reject Him. That’s the battle we are in the middle of.
As for the lady I mentioned in the beginning, I have some advice for her, and maybe for you too. Keep in mind that I am speaking from the context of a saved by the blood of Christ, born-again Christian, as that is my life. And based on that fact, my advice will naturally be based around and flowing out of my personal faith and the Bible. But don’t dismiss it without at least a moment of consideration. You have free will in this life to either Choose God or pass on him. He will not force you. Unless you choose Him willingly, it doesn’t work. We certainly do make the choice in this life, until our last breath. Lets assume you chose him. My advice within that context is as follows:
Meditate on Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Praise God. At the top of your lungs. Read the Bible as the love story to win your heart that it is. Walk in newness of life.
If you don’t do this, you will likely continue down the same miserable path you are currently on. What will it hurt to try a different path? Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
But beware. John 12:40, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” Don’t be blinded. Go read the book of Ecclesiastes. Then Proverbs. Read His Word and open your eyes up to the truth of your God wanting to hang out with you in His garden. John 20:29, “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'”
Love,
Peach
P.S. I am praying that you find the Peace, that surpasses all understanding, down in your heart. I’d love to chat about it with you. John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I’m telling you. If you struggle with mental battles, read His Word. Put it in and see what comes out. What if I’m right?
