«Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things» (Philippians 4:8).
One day, my neighbor Douglas gave me a tray brimming with raspberries and currants from his garden. I washed them and started devouring them immediately while they were still in the colander. I love berries; they are delicious (and also healthy, because they contain antioxidants and vitamin C). Although it cost me nothing to receive that gift, Douglas spent hours in his garden pulling out weeds, watering and fertilizing the ground. He put a lot of attention and effort for his garden to produce fruit. It did not happen by osmosis! He did not get up one morning and find his garden overflowing with fruit without any effort. On the contrary, he understood that if he did not work the garden periodically, chaos would win. The same thing happens to our minds: if we do not pay attention, we will not reap the fruit we desire.
If we don’t weed the garden, weeds will take over the natural resources (water, light, and nutrients) until there is nothing left for the good plants. The same thing happens to our thoughts: fear, anxiety, and criticism can waste our emotional resources and prevent us from growing spiritually. Unfortunately, these are thoughts that arise naturally in us. Ellen G. White wrote in Mind, Character and Personality: «There is earnest work before each one of us. Right thoughts, pure and holy purposes, do not come to us naturally. We shall have to strive for them.»—vol. 2, ch. 72, p. 656. Right thoughts do not come by osmosis; they must be cultivated with the same dedication that Douglas put in his garden.
One of my friends, Anne, has a very simple and practical way of weeding her mind: every time she notices that she is worrying about something or someone, she chooses to transform that concern into a prayer. She does not offer long, pompous prayers, but those that are practical and direct: «Lord, here I am worrying again about . . . I know you have the power to free me of it. Amen.» The idea is to transform the mental monologue of worry and anxiety into a dialogue with God. I confess that there are days when I say these kinds of prayers more than eighty times (and I don’t think this bothers God). I’d rather dedicate myself to weeding, no matter how tedious a task, than to allowing weeds to take over the garden of my mind.
Dear Lord, I want to cultivate the garden of my mind and uproot all anxiety and worry. Please help me.
#WomensDevotional
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Take From: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2022
«NO FEARS»
BY: VANEZA PISSUTO
Collaborators: Alexandra Pérez & Angelica Cuate
