Okra flower from my garden 2020
You were designed to grow and bear fruit. It takes intentional work and effort to grow, and as we grow God Rewards Our Work.
I never thought I had a “green thumb,” honestly, the thought of even planting or tending to a plant would stir up angst. Failed attempts played on repeat in my mind and made me resistant to any future attempts or desires to try my hand or thumb at gardening. At least until the pandemic slowed life down to almost a halt. As the days turned into weeks, I found myself gravitating outdoors and finding a sense of grounding in the beauty of the growing world around me. There was something so inspiring in watching plants grow, they didn’t care about what the current state of the world was, they didn’t conform to lockdown measures or slow or change; all they knew to do had been placed on the inside of them and happened without fail. After coming inside from sunning one day it hit me! I needed to grow, I needed to see time happening, to put my hands in the dirt and be a part of something bigger than myself. My desire became a garden that became fruit, vegetable and peppers that became side dishes for lunches and dinner.
Growth is time qualified, it’s how we demonstrate who we are at a given moment based on our experiences and encounters. When the Living God created man, He quantified human existence by assigning dominion and specifying order, then he qualified human existence by commanding growth. Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” The fruitfulness of each of our lives is a blessing and a reflection of living in the purpose we were designed for. Growth is the only way to access purpose. When we choose growth it allows us to honor the time of each day, each season. It’s our opportunity to reflect the image of the God of Creation, put intentional work into what we’ve been given dominion over and qualify our time by bearing fruit.
How do ensure you’re growing?
Growth isn’t easy, it’s a never ending process that only works through elective participation and intention. So, how do we give ourselves the opportunity to grow? Here are four (4) keys to grow:
1. G– give yourself the grace to recognize where you’ve evolved and where you envision yourself. Too often we discredit the places we’ve left behind and moved beyond. When you purposely acknowledge the areas and triggers that held you back or kept you from seeing yourself as powerful and purpose and create boundaries to elevate your choices and thinking you are giving yourself the grace you need to live as the best version of yourself.
2. R-reframe yourself and the view you hold of what you have and what you can accomplish. It’s human to feel limited, and easy to look around at circumstance and not see the possibilities, but when you reframe what you have and what you can do it changes how you guide your decision making, Viewing yourself as competent and capable and recognizing the value of your gifts, talents and strengths repositions you in the story of your life, and keeps you from being limited by the thoughts and opinions of others to walk in power and empowered.
3. O– open yourself to new opportunities so that you can elevate and evolve. Change doesn’t happen without challenge. Seeing the possibility of your best self by making positive changes is the start of the growth process. Where you may have been resistant or hesitant to try something new, being willing to step out of comfort and say yes to yourself gives you the chance to honor your path and see the goodness you deserve. Take a class, learn a new hobby, go on a roadtrip, join a group new opportunities are an open door and blessing.
4. W– work on yourself, let your focus be on what builds and blesses YOU. As we opt in to growth and change we may be tempted to look around and want other people to opt in and change too. By choosing to focus on yourself, you free both yourself and others from the burden of having to live in the shadow of expectation and obligation. Living your change by bearing good fruit gives other people the opportunity to see your growth in real time. As you grow and bear fruit you become a living record of how time and your experiences are shaping you to walk in the newness of your best self. Your fruit will be contagious, but only if you tend to your own growth and give yourself the grace and space to let other people come along in their own time.
Remember you were designed to grow and bear fruit, as you choose to grow in this season be assured and blessed in knowing that God Rewards Our Work. May your growth build and bless you!
