It was with an angry outburst, to say the least, that I returned home yesterday to find my Westie had industrially destroyed my flower garden, uprooting plants that had been planted with such care and love, and the pathway covered in dirt, thrown in all directions. My first reaction was, “Iona, you’re a goner!”

Then this morning I recall a time many years ago when one of my twin toddlers, Patsy, industriously pulled up all my plants after she noticed her father weeding the flower bed. To Patsy’s mind she was helping her Dad. After being scolded her Dad told her “No more!”. To our surprise she turned to her Dad with her tiny finger pointed and repeated “No More”. The first words she ever spoke.

The Lord used this as a window to my soul and reminded me how often we think we are helping our Heavenly Father by uprooting ourselves from situations He has placed us in to enable us to bloom more profusely. Instead we are industriously and often emotionally digging away at our roots to get out of the situation with our free will decisions thrown in all directions as we finish digging that hole for ourselves to find the pathway of our lives covered with confusion, discouragement and disappointment. In our finite minds we think we are helping! It could be a situation in the church God has planted you in, a workplace, a relationship, or even a marriage.

Just as a Westie’s nature is to dig,dig,dig! our fallen nature is to be rebellious and self willed but you know what? God is still willing to sup with us. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me

By the way my Westie, Iona, is still with me and supping a cup of tea with me and I am so glad God didn’t get rid of me when I dug up and tried to mess up His Plans for my life. Thank you, Iona, for this window to my soul.

CHALLENGE: Don’t try to help the Great Gardener in the seasons of your life with your childlike finite mind. Only His infinite mind knows His eternal purposes.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope