Space in the garden

Then Jesus told this story, “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it. but he was always disappointed.  Finally he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years and there hasn’t been a single fig.  Cut it down!  It’s just taking up space in the garden.’  The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance.  Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine.  If not, then you can cut it down.”  Luke 13: 6-9

I always post some kind of footnote, or remembrance statement in my Bible, when God speaks to me from a passage of Scripture.  I then, place the date there so I can see when He showed me that particular thing.  On one occasion, after reading this passage, I wrote:  “Father, I feel like this.  I feel like I’m just taking up space in Your garden, but not doing much Kingdom work.”  Well, I am moving forward now, and I can see that none of the time that seemed to be empty, really was.  He was growing me inside, growing my character.  He was giving me special attention and fertilizer so that when the time to bear fruit came…I’d be ready.  God was doing deeper things.  He was working on things that no one could see yet on the surface.  None of us ever just takes up space in His Garden.  God is always doing His secret work, His deeper work.  We will bloom where we are planted at just the right time.  Do not give up on yourself, or on others.  Trust God, rest in Him, and wait on His perfect time.  All that God has for us, will come to us, In His good time.  A lot of times we are more disappointed in ourselves and want to give up, but God is deep at work, just hold on

Amen and Amen