Cultivating Life: Mike’s Lessons from the Garden Part 2

In the last post, we explored the spiritual significance of cultivating life through gardening. How sowing seeds, tending soil, and nurturing growth reflect the slow, intentional rhythms of a life rooted in faith. (Look at my wordplay, it’s so much fun!)  If you missed it, feel free to scroll back and check it out. In continuing with the theme of biblical life from the garden, today we’re turning our attention to two essential—and deeply spiritual—practices: pruning and harvesting. These acts aren’t just for the backyard gardener; they’re invitations to examine how we make space for fruitfulness and recognize God’s timing in the seasons of our lives.

Cultivating Through Pruning

Kristin has written on the idea of pruning and pruning your life. Here’s my take on it. Pruning is an essential practice in both gardening and spiritual growth. In John 15:2, Jesus speaks of how God, the divine gardener, “cuts off every branch that bears no fruit” and prunes the fruitful ones so they may produce even more. Not just that but Jesus metaphorically pruned a whole a tree down to nothing by cursing it because it wasn’t producing life.

Just as plants require pruning to remove dead or overcrowded branches, as Christians we must undergo times of refinement to shed distractions, unhealthy habits, or anything that hinders our growth in knowing who Jesus is and who he is in our life. 

Pruning is not always comfortable. Most of the time it’s actually quite uncomfortable. It often requires letting go of things we once held tight to, but it is necessary for cultivating a deeper and more abundant faith.

Cultivating Hearts

When it comes to gardening, strategic pruning promotes stronger growth, allowing nutrients to reach vital areas of the plant rather than being wasted on unnecessary branches. Likewise, spiritual pruning helps Christians focus on what truly matters. It strengthens our relationship with God and deepens our understanding and purpose. This process often comes through challenges or life changes that force reflection and redirection. Whether it’s stepping away from toxic influences, reshaping priorities, or enduring trials that refine character, God’s pruning is designed to foster resilience and fruitfulness in our lives.

Ultimately, we prune to prepare both plants and us for an abundant harvest. When a garden undergoes thoughtful trimming, it not only looks healthier but also produces a richer yield. In the same way, Christians who embrace spiritual pruning find themselves growing stronger in their faith, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, including love, joy, peace, and patience (Galatians 5:22-23). Just as a well-tended garden thrives, so too does a heart that surrenders to growth and refinement.

Cultivating Through Harvesting

Well, we have come to this- harvesting. Some might say this is the best part of the garden. You’ve worked hard, pruned the dead away to allow awesome growth and now it’s time to eat…I mean harvest. Harvesting a garden is the culmination of careful planning, diligent labor, and patient waiting. So much waiting…and watering.  Throughout Scripture, harvest is often used as a metaphor for the fruits of faithful living, illustrating how our actions and spiritual growth lead to abundance. Galatians 6:9 reminds believers, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Just as a gardener labors throughout the seasons, tending to plants and trusting in the process, believers are called to invest in their faith and trust that God’s timing will bring forth a rich spiritual yield.

A successful harvest in a garden requires consistent care—watering, weeding, and protecting crops from threats. Likewise, a biblical harvest is the result of faithful stewardship and perseverance in righteous living. The Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29) highlights how God’s kingdom grows gradually, much like a farmer patiently waiting for the crops to mature. Even when growth isn’t immediately visible, God is at work, cultivating our hearts and preparing us for spiritual abundance. The act of harvesting; gathering what was planted; mirrors the joy of seeing God’s promises fulfilled after seasons of preparation and trust.

Cultivating Biblical Harvest

The biblical harvest also extends to the work of evangelism and spreading God’s word. Jesus speaks of the spiritual harvest in Matthew 9:37-38, saying, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Just as a ripe garden invites the gardener to gather the fruits of labor, the world is full of opportunities for believers to share the gospel and reap the rewards of a faithful life. In the same way that a gardener rejoices over a bountiful yield, God delights in the spiritual growth and impact of His people. A life cultivated in faith and service will ultimately lead to an eternal harvest—one filled with joy, purpose, and lasting reward.

Garden and Spirit-filled Life

I hope you’ve been encouraged by this mini-series. It’s been a joy to explore the ways Scripture (my favorite bible, thought it would be good to include) and the garden mirror each other, offering growth, pruning, and fruit in both the soil and the soul. How have you seen biblical truths take root in your own garden—or your life? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below. Until next time, keep planting with purpose. (Unless I have gone too far and Kristin wont let me write anymore…we’ll see)

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