Gardening can be a delightful and rewarding hobby; and on a large scale it can be a satisfying livelihood. There is another type of gardening that brings spiritual progress and fruitage. It is gardening in one's consciousness, plowing, tilling, planting, and harvesting. When the seed sown is holy, the daily care of what grows in consciousness becomes a joy.
Paul wrote to the Galatians (5:22, 23), "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." But before "the fruit of the Spirit" can be gathered, there is work to be done with patience, persistence, and love for God and man.
Hosea gave instruction in working for a fruitful harvest. He wrote (10:12), "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." Fallow ground is ground which has been plowed but left uncultivated for a season and is therefore fruitless.
