I was raised in Upstate New York. If you’ve never visited that area of the country, you’ll not realize how well produce grows there. The summer months were beautiful. Our family had a large garden. A garden that was probably overwhelming to most, but it kept our family fed throughout the year and it was something of great pride for my parents.

Caring for this large piece of land was a daunting task. The plowing, planting, weeding, and harvesting were all done as a family. However, I do believe most of the weeding and hoeing was done by the children in our family. Plant after plant. Row after row. Day after day. We spent hours in that garden. Watching our friends play baseball close by did not make it any easier either.

The most memorable time of harvesting for me was the potato harvest. Typically, it was later in the season. Usually a cold day, and when combined with water to rinse them, created a frosty atmosphere.

We had a small tractor with a plow attachment, but it wasn’t heavy enough to bring the potatoes to the surface, so one of us would have to sit on the plow. It wasn’t a comfortable ride. The plow was not equipped with a seat. The steel bars were extremely hard. The up and down motion of the plow created a desire to hang on tight. I’m sure if we had a video camera back then, there would have been some great video for our viewing pleasure. Thank goodness they weren’t available to us or our neighbors at that time.

Row after row the tractor would dig up the potatoes. After the plowing, all those potatoes needed to be picked up, washed of all the dirt, and then placed in the cool cellar for use throughout the year. We were thankful for what was harvested during the fall months. Each time a potato was brought up from the cellar, I remembered the day we dug them from the ground.

Our spiritual journey sometimes looks like this. We bury attitudes, unforgiveness, bitterness, disappointment, hurt or sin deep into our hearts. We sometimes allow these little nuggets to fester and grow until there’s nothing more to do with it than to dig it up.

With the help of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit, we dislodge the growth from our heart. It comes to the surface, but it’s pretty ugly. It’s covered with dirt and grime, but that’s the nature of hurt and sin. There’s nothing pretty about it.

But suddenly, a cool, refreshing flood of forgiveness and grace washes away the filth of the sin. Our spirits are renewed and our hearts are healed.

And the sin that once festered deep within us is tossed to the cellar where it is never to be seen again. The hurt that once held us captive is nowhere to be found.

It may be a difficult process. You may be tossed back and forth. But the end result is so beneficial. Feasting on God’s goodness will always be the best tradeoff for the effort given.

So what’s growing in your heart today? Do you need to harvest some bad fruit? Are you willing to allow God to dig up those hurts or sins that have taken root in your heart? If so, I know that God will be with you every step of the way. Just ask and He’ll join you during this harvest.

“You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 – NIV)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna