Soul Scientist

Romans 8:28 KJ21 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

God has good plans for good for us.

God is always at work for us, in us, and through us.

Even if God’s plan seems hidden, silent, or stopped in our lives, we can take courage from the truth that He will complete His good work for, in, and through us (see Philippians 1:6). For even and especially there in what we might see as the in-between, He is at work for good because He is good (see Psalm 73:1 & 28).

God doesn’t take vacations from us; He has already claimed victory for us. He doesn’t sleep or slumber; He stays and strengthens. He doesn’t reject; He restores, renews, and reveals. He is always at work; He is always with us.

God already knows all about my fears and faith, perseverance and prayers, and doubts, decisions, and determination. He watches as I pour out my heart word by word, tear by tear onto whatever scrap of paper I can find. He is there in all those battles against thoughts and temptations I fight in my mind to take captive unto Him (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). He knows me like no one else can, including myself. And He loves me, no matter what I say or do (or don’t say or do).

That same truth holds for every one of us.

God has known us from the ground up since before He made the ground (see Ephesians 1:4). He knows those parts that we won’t admit even to ourselves. He knows those stories we’d rather forget. He knows those pieces of our lives that others have overlooked but we can’t ignore.

God knows.

And in the knowing, He still loves us.

And He still is carrying out that good plan for good for all of us.

He is always with us.

Those are unchanging truths, no matter what I might think or feel about them.

This principle of what I think about something versus what is true about something reminds me about seed germination and growth. After seed planting, the first root emergence splits the seed covering and begins preparation for more root growth for water and nutrient uptake. Yet from my perspective, nothing is happening because I can’t see all that activity under the soil surface. But God knows the real story. The belowground growth of roots is essential work before the aboveground growth of shoots can be seen.

In turn, the picture of plant growth could describe our lives in our God’s good plan for spiritual growth for us. He does a mighty work of growing deep roots from a mustard-seed faith in the soil of our souls. It might seem like nothing is happening from my impatient perspective only concerned about others’ perceptions and traditional measures. Measures like the number of people present, the amount of monies given, the affirmative comments, and such. Things like those can’t account for a steady surge of root establishment in an individual’s faith in God.

Those deep roots of faith are required for a solid and steady growth in faith. It’s this kind of faith that supports the aboveground shoot growth of a lasting perseverance in suffering and trusting God when He seems so far off. Faith like that is necessary for bearing of the fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

Roots, shoots, fruits.

It’s as plain and particular as that in plants and in us. Neither plants nor us can skip from planting to fruit production, no matter how much we might want to. For this cycle of roots, shoots, fruits requires time, trust, and untiring faithfulness to our Good God. Those traits are necessary for developing good soil in our souls and subsequently, good mustard-seed faith growth in our lives.

If you’re anything like me, you yearn for nothing less than good soil and good seed growth in your life for the good harvest of much fruit for the eternal kingdom of my Good God (see Matthew chapter 13). We are always in a growing season; we are always being changed by our Good God into His Image.

We can confidently abide in His work for us, in us, and through us, no matter how we might feel. Likewise, we can trust His work is for eternity and for good, even if we can’t see it for ourselves today.

No matter the weather or time of year, now is always the right time for this kind of growth in our lives. We are living in seasons of growth; we are growing in steadfastness for even more growth. Our Good Gardener God alone knows the best and most bountiful ways to prepare the soil, plant the seed, and pick the sweet fruit. And He is always looking for more to join Him in the harvest – will you come today?

Luke 10:1-2 ESV After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2024

This was an excerpt from a book I’m currently writing called From Dust to Dust: Lessons From the Land. I’d surely appreciate your prayers for wisdom, knowledge, insight, and courage for this task. Thank you!