“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
– Luke 9:62

Recently I was cleaning out a drawer, and I found the tags to all the trees and other plants that I’d planted around our house and realized that less than half of them are still alive.  Some of this is due to lack of care, some of it is due to lack of knowledge, and I still don’t know why some of them have died.

In the past, this would have been devastating.  I would have felt like a huge failure for wasting my time and money on so many mistakes, but it donned on me that it was okay.  I’ve learned a lot, and I am super excited about the trees that I still have and the growth that they’ve made over the years.  I also have plans to plant more so that we can have some shade from the Texas heat and a place for kids and grandkids to play.

I tend to try to put life in a box: go to school and work, own a home, have trees exactly where I want them; but I am realizing that life is not about what I want and the shallow goals that I’ve planned out but about submitting to God AND showing others His love.  There is no sin in going to school, having a job, and landscaping, but my sin is in putting God in my back pocket only for emergencies.  When I make my own plans, then say, “Praise Jesus,” when I feel good about my day, but I don’t really rely on Him for the planning process I am full of sin.

Teddy Roosevelt said that, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty . . .”  I am learning that the process is just as important, or even more, than the outcome.  I could have the most gorgeous trees that shade my house from all the Texas heat, but without the disappointment of losing some and the growth of increasing my knowledge, I would have never appreciated their shade.  I probably would have even expected them to be bigger (Jonah 4:10).

I would have never just stood under them and listened to the wind blow through their leaves; even though, they can only shade one to two of us at a time right now.  I would have never thanked God each time I see one pass a milestone that indicates they’re maturing instead of getting weaker.  The process is life.  The process is the growth.  The process is the necessity that we need so that we realize that we are not capable on our own.

I’ve learned humility in the process as well.  Yes, I’ve increased my knowledge, but I’ve also learned that it is not me that gives life or sustains life.  I can do all the “right” things, but without God’s blessing and approval, nothing lives and nothing grows regardless of the stress and diligence I put forth.

So, regardless of our failures and shortcomings, if we are growing in Christ and getting closer to our final destination of standing in front of Him after our death, that is all that matters.  Don’t look back and worry about disappointments, failures, and what you think you should have done.  Look at what you have around you that is good and of Christ.  Nurture that and grow it with Christ beside you.  Share His love with those around you and walk forward with purpose and love in all that you do so that you can stand at the end and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21 & 23)

– Written by Kati

 Meet the authors.
Listen to us discuss our blogs on our YouTube channel.