Lessons from a broken plant....

I was digging a hole.  And crying while digging.  No, it wasn't a grave for some beloved pet.  It was a new hole for my most beloved lavender plant which was broken off this morning.  Broken by a hosepipe as it was dragged along.  Not the worst thing to happen, but for the timing.

I decided to replant the little bit that was left over in faith.  Looking at it everything screamed this is The End.  More tears.  And the soil so, so, hard.  And this in the vegetable garden (a safer place in my mind!).  I was trying to dig deep enough to fill the clay earth with some sand so my lavender will actually have half a chance and as i was digging away a thought struck me....
How is it possible for these tender roots to grow deep into rock-hard soil?  How on, or rather, in earth is it possible?  I was really hitting the ground hard now with my hoe and making little difference!   What chance did this broken plant have?  It seemed so hopeless as I was quite hurt and angry and so i was putting some "effort" into digging!

And then a still but clear voice, filled my mind "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord".

Is that just not IT?  Not by MIGHT!  Not by POWER!  But By My Spirit!

How many times have i tried to do a thing by might and shear power?  Only to be disappointed and tired.  How many times have i picked up a too heavy load in my own strength?  Not by might.  Not by power.  But by My Spirit.

For sure, life out here is hard.  And not just in a spiritual sense, we need to work hard physically as well.  We have times of no water, or the pump breaks or the bread is all gone.  I need to physically jump in to dig a hole, knead the bread or we need to clean out the very septic tank and many other small and big things.  Things that drain us, things that get us down.  But somewhere there needs to be a balance - a sure sense that God is the One who gives me strength to go on.  That He is the One who helps me to have courage.  Courage because it is not by my measly might, or my puny power.  But by His wonderful all-encompassing Spirit!

I don't have much hope for my broken plant, but i did get hope for my broken spirit.  God is here beside me and it is through Him that i will make it, nothing else.

And in times of HUGE discouragement, i can crawl into someplace quiet and know, He is working, slowly but surely.  I do not have to hack my way into life.  I can relax.  God is in control and He gives me what i need by His Spirit.

Bella