Tending the Garden of Your Heart by John Belt

Tending the Garden of Your Heart

Scripture teaches us to “guard” our hearts. This is because the substance of our lives flows forth from the heart, the deepest part of us. I recently came into a perspective of viewing our lives as “real estate” or a “garden” that we tend. We have a responsibility to take care of that which God has entrusted to us. This applies to many things in life. But the greatest responsibility that we have is our very own lives. No one else is going to take care of the garden of your life. No one else can make decisions that concern your life. We each are the navigator of our own souls. We call the shots and make the choices.

If we know the Lord, the foundational decision is to surrender our lives to Him. But after that there still remains much left in the wisdom department of God’s storehouse that we need to access in order to take care of our lives in this life. The first revelation we need to get is that we are individually going to have to take responsibility our own “house” before God. So we are the house cleaners. Paul speaks to us concerning “cleansing” our own hearts. Proverbs speaks from the standpoint of “keeping” our hearts.

      2 Cor 7:1
      7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
      filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

      Prov 4:23
      Keep your heart with all diligence,
      For out of it spring the issues of life.

Every piece of real estate has boundary lines. In the same way, we all need to define our boundaries. We have all experienced “trespassers” onto our property. It is worth noting how Jesus says – “Forgives us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. We trespass in other people’s lives in ignorance many times, sometimes knowingly. But when there is a trespass it is moving into territory that is not yours and has the potential, and most always does, cause hurt in someone’s life. So in relationships it is important that we communicate with grace and wisdom, not presumptuously thinking that we have authority to speak whatever we feel is right. Many things that we “see” in others, to the point that we want to tell them about it, is better utilized in the place of prayer. Then if the other party opens the door for a person’s input, it is their choice and not forced upon them. So it is healthy for all of us to have borders and to know where they are so that we are not caught up in a loop of pain and hurt, circling around the same mountain again and again. There is a place of healing, restoration and recovery. So there is a right place for a person to separate themselves from the controlling and presumptuous behavior of people.

In the church, many people feel more obligated to “spiritually gifted” or “highly respected” people. But there is a trap in this. There are many anointed, popular or gifted people in the body. But this does not mean that there is character just because there is gifting or popularity. Many times people are impressed with the anointing and gifting and suppose that everything must be good that a person says because of this. That is not true at all. A gift is a gift. So the young in God can receive a gift. But it takes time to develop character. You can learn how to receive gifts from God, but not grow correspondingly in character and wisdom. There is grace for the maturity. God is not going to wait until you grow up to give you gifts! If that was the case, then none of us would ever receive any gifts because we are all still maturing. We all stumble in many ways . . . but if we gain control over our tongue there is hope! We are lovers of God growing in maturity.

If there are people in your life that keep you in cycle of pain and hurt, then you need to examine the situation, seek God through worship and prayer, meditate in His Word and see if He would speak to you about some adjustments that can be and/or should be made.

1. Establish Boundaries/Borders

      Ps 147:14
      He makes peace in your borders,
      And fills you with the finest wheat.

2. Receive Revelation of the Truth of God’s Word to Bring Deeper Levels of Freedom.
    Receive the water of the Holy Spirit through worship and prayer to soften the soil
    of your heart.

John 8:32-33
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

3. Surround Yourself with People of Faith and Wisdom

      Prov 21:20
      There is desirable treasure,
      And oil in the dwelling of the wise.

4. Give Yourself Space to Breathe and Make Your Own Decisions

      Matt 15:29-30
      Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the
     mountain and sat down there.