Pulling Weeds, Growing Flowers: How to Choose God’s Best

View PDF

Living the Christian life is a lot like a planting a rose garden. We dig the holes for the bushes, then plant, water, and fertilize them. Our hands get scratched on the ugly, thorny stumps. Then we wait, and wait. We get discouraged, and wonder if it’s worth all the effort. But then one morning we see a new bud on our favorite rose bush. Before long we have a vase filled with fragrant roses. As we look at the beautiful flowers, we scarcely remember the hard work or the scratches. We are too busy marveling at God’s creative handiwork. Like a rose garden, the Christian life is a joint effort—ours and God’s. We need to do our share, but we also need to let Him do His part.  We must choose God’s best. Part of the secret is learning to discern the difference.