Faith is a gift. Recently, I've been contemplating what this means.
What has come to mind are seeds. Seeds
for our soul. Some of us may look at the metaphorical pack of seeds and,
uncertain of what it is, say, “No, thank you.” Others might say, “I don't need
those.” Some even seem to have been there on the day that God had been giving
out a two-for-one kind of deal! (I’m imagining a well-kept, middle-aged
gardener on the street corner or going door to door offering plain packets of
seeds.) I think some people may walk by or won't even open the door. Even more,
people might respond saying that they need to do more research because really,
they don't understand gardening. But,
still He offers… the Gardner continues to offer us seeds.
What
I think we often forget is that our Father offers us the gift of faith daily.
This is not the type of gift that is to be set on the shelf. Once received, the
expectation is that we “plant” them within, knowing that the Gardener would do
what needs to be done in order for them to bloom. The best gardens are the ones
that are tended to constantly. Our soul is an area that doesn't come with a
“grower’s guide” so we have to continue going back to the Gardner with, even
the most basic of questions like, “How do I start?” Thus, in order for faith to take, we have to become the Gardener’s
apprentice.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVpOvpYcjOJ3WOD7hNv7b3djXq61vu5o6Mi0CkXLcte8B0sq1MpEbdJzseWu70rJK4xGtepM8IGK2AZNGKqFNVkker7Zf2vaKTQA3LiNwbZVmQH5CcnxHwTWMCh5KmH5xbrOwHihiWXM/s200/cover-gardening.jpg)
So,
when I feel less than full of faith, that's when I need to ask myself, “How have I nurtured my faith today?”
Have I watered it with prayer or Scripture, pruned it with Reconciliation,
nourished it with the Eucharist? Have I sat in silence for further direction on
what to do? Faith takes work, a definite
effort on our part. Sometimes, the effort lies in us just being and not
doing anything.
I
think faith is the gift of knowing in our deepest selves that the Creator is
our Father…that God not only exists, but
that He will also take care of us, of all...knowing that He will provide,
guide, listen. That He freely desires to participate in our lives… the
lives of his children. And, while we do
nothing to earn faith, we must become nothing in order to experience it.
Really, this is the best gift we can give ourselves.
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