Living on eight acres comes with both positives and negatives. For example, it’s amazing to sit on my back patio with a pine-covered mountain rising up to the sky and no signs of other people or city life. It’s quiet, wild, and deeply peaceful. However, the downside of that beauty? Someone has to take care of it. And it’s a lot to take care of.
About 70% of our property is covered with pine trees and scrub oak — mostly scrub oak. Pine trees are maintenance-free for the most part, but scrub oak is wild and tenacious. Also known as Gambel oak, it is drought-tolerant and highly adaptable to its environment. It also has a strong root system that spreads like a bad virus. That means, every summer, I’m outside with my pruning shears trying to keep the forest from swallowing my home. It’s like a terrifying scene from a sci-fi movie.
If I skip even one summer of back-breaking work, the scrub oak covers the walkway and wraps its arms around the eaves. I’m not opposed to hard work, and I love being outside. Even better, I have an amazing pair of pruning shears, a gift from a friend in the gardening business. But by July, after spending nearly every weekend trying to tame the forest threatening our house, I’m exhausted. No matter how hard I work, no matter my determination, the task is bigger than my strength. I know this because of my sore muscles and swollen hands.
A couple weeks ago, my husband came home after running errands and announced, “I got you something. A gift.”
My husband isn’t much of a gift giver, so I was intrigued.
“Really? Are you serious?”
He smiled. “I think you’re going to like it.”
After another trip to his truck, he came back with a box, opened it, and pulled out a black and yellow power tool. At that point, I was pretty sure the gift was for him, not me. “I am not amused,” I said, eyebrows raised.
He was undeterred. Turning toward the closest scrub oak, he pushed a button and got to work. My man had bought me a pair of powered pruning shears. Not the most romantic gift, but magical just the same. And highly effective. In minutes, he’d accomplished more than I could in a couple of hours. My hands and shoulders wanted to cheer.
Stunned, I smiled: “Thank you!”
The spiritual life often feels like holding a small pair of pruning shears against an expanse of forest.
I desperately want to be more like Christ, to think and feel and act like Jesus did. But my sin problem is real. And sanctification — the process of progressively becoming more and more Jesus-shaped — feels impossible some days. No matter how good my intentions or how hard I try to do better and be better, I still fail too often. I take care of one problem only to find three more popping up in its place. The task is bigger than my strength.
But God never intended for me to become more like Jesus with a pair of self-powered pruning shears. Yes, He calls me to be conformed into the likeness of Jesus (Romans 8:29). But He knows I could never accomplish this God-sized work in my own strength. That’s why He gave us a gift:
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”
Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT)
The Holy Spirit is our God-given spiritual power tool. He lives in us, drawing us to the Father, illuminating truth, convicting our hearts, and then empowering us for repentance, renewal, and deeper faith. It’s not about trying harder, but trusting more. Yes, our sin problem is legit. But the Holy Spirit has the power we need to overcome it.
Michelle, I love this picture of the power of the Spirit vs our self powered improvement project! I also love the loving gift from your husband. He gifted what was needed most for your battle with the scrub oak. Might not be champagne & roses romantic but I think even more romantic in guarding your sore muscles & time in the battle. He gets my gold star for husband of the day on that one! Blessings (((0)))
I hear you. For me it is Romans 7:15, 19…about wanting to do better, be more like Jesus but I don’t do what’s right even though I don’t to do it. Thank goodness for God’s grace and love. BTW, I once received a ladder stabilizer for Valentine’s Day so I would feel more secure cleaning the gutters!