Divine Timing: Lessons from a Garden on Spiritual Growth
Have you ever caught yourself feeling frustrated with someone else's spiritual journey? Perhaps they're asking questions you think they should already know the answers to, or they're not growing as quickly as you think they should. If you're nodding your head, you're not alone – and there's a profound lesson waiting for us in an unlikely combination of places: a garden and the story of Lazarus.
The Garden's Wisdom
Yesterday, I spent some time in our local community garden, where an interesting contrast caught my eye. Some beds were bursting with life – tomatoes ripening on the vine, beans climbing their trellises, flowers in full bloom. But right next to these abundant plots was one that appeared almost empty at first glance.
When I mentioned this to the gardener, he smiled and knelt down, gently brushing aside some soil to reveal tiny green shoots just beginning to emerge. "These seeds were planted at the same time as the others," he explained. "They're doing important work underground, developing strong root systems. They'll produce fruit in their own time."
The parallel to our spiritual lives struck me immediately.
The Mystery of Divine Timing
This brought to mind the story in John 11:1-6, where Jesus receives news that his dear friend Lazarus is ill. The text specifically mentions that "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus," yet He deliberately waited two more days before going to them. To human eyes, this delay might seem cruel or indifferent – surely if He loved them, He would rush to help?
But Jesus operated on divine timing, seeing a bigger picture that others couldn't yet perceive. His delay wasn't a reflection of His love (or lack thereof) – it was part of a greater purpose that would ultimately reveal God's glory in an unprecedented way.
The Danger of Comparison
How often do we fall into the trap of judging others' spiritual growth by our own timeline? We see someone struggling with questions we resolved years ago, or taking longer to embrace truths that seem obvious to us, and we grow impatient. Sometimes, we might even feel a subtle sense of superiority.
But just as each plant in a garden has its own rhythm of growth, each believer's journey unfolds according to God's perfect timing. Some shoot up quickly, visible and vibrant. Others develop slowly, doing crucial work beneath the surface before their growth becomes apparent.
The Heart of the Matter
When we look down on fellow believers, we reveal more about our own spiritual immaturity than theirs. We position ourselves as wiser than the Divine Gardener, presuming to know better than God about the timing of someone else's growth.
Consider these truths:
The same Lord who waited two days before going to Lazarus is the same Lord working in each believer's life today.
Just as a garden needs plants that bloom at different times to sustain its ecosystem, the body of Christ benefits from members who grow and mature at different rates.
Questions that seem "simple" to us might be exactly what someone else in the community needs to hear answered.
Moving Forward in Grace
So how do we combat this tendency to judge others' spiritual growth? Here are some practical steps:
Remember the garden. When you notice yourself growing impatient with someone's spiritual progress, picture those hidden seedlings developing their root systems underground.
Cultivate curiosity. Instead of dismissing someone's "elementary" questions, try to understand their unique journey and perspective.
Focus on relationship. Rather than evaluating someone's growth, invest in knowing their story and walking alongside them.
Trust the Gardener. Remember that God's timing is perfect, even when it doesn't match our expectations.
A Final Thought
Every rose in the garden opens according to its own timing, yet all follow the Gardener's perfect plan. The same is true in our spiritual community. We're all unfolding according to God's wisdom, whether we're like Mary who sat at Jesus' feet, Martha who served actively, or Lazarus who, in his story, was passive and in need.
The next time you're tempted to look down on a fellow believer's journey, pause and remember: the God who designed the intricate timing of a garden's growth is the same God orchestrating each person's spiritual development. Our role isn't to judge the timeline – it's to marvel at the unique way God is unfolding each story, and to tend to one another with the same patience and grace He shows us.
After all, we're all still growing, aren't we?
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness." - 2 Peter 3:8-9
