Seeds of Spring: A Woman's 40-day JourneySample

Planting and Tending Your Garden

SEED OF TRUTH
Read Ephesians 4:17-24.
Listen to Paul carefully. Our Christian walk is an intentional, daily, focused effort to choose to walk in the light. What do you learn about the futile, hopeless way of the unbeliever?

PLANT THE SEED
Quietly recite today's focus verse to yourself. Hide it in your heart and meditate on it throughout the day.

Ephesians 4:23-24
"And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."

WATER THE SEED
Where do you see indifference in your heart? Has your heart grown cold? You may still have feelings for the Lord and convictions about His truth, but you may notice your desire to be in His word has waned. Your compassion for others has diminished and your focus has shifted from Christ to self.

Turn your eyes toward Christ. Confess your hardness of heart. Ask Him for help. Ask Him to revive you in His love and in His compassion to have mercy on you.

What needs to be changed in your thinking process? Where can you see your own futile thinking? Be observant of your thoughts today (Romans 12:2). When you catch yourself thinking a futile thought, stop, write it down, and put a truth in its place. If you think a critical thought of someone, stop and replace it with a loving thought. If you begin to worry, stop and put on the new self. Put on truth and find a Bible verse that will combat that worry head-on. Just remember that what we think will have profound implications on how we act. The first battle to be fought and won, with the help of Christ, is in the mind. Fight with dependence on His grace and the Holy Spirit.

BEAR THE FRUIT
Renewed in the spirit.

CLOSE IN PRAYER
Ask the Lord to bring to life all that has been planted in your heart today.