“Spirit of the living God, be the Gardener of my soul. Clear away the dead growth of the past, break up the hard clods of custom and routine, stir in the rich compost of vision and challenge. Bury deep in my soul the implanted Word, cultivate and tend my heart, until new life buds and opens and flowers.” Richard Foster.
As we are journeying through Lent – we see it as a season of preparation – a sacred time to prepare the soil of our hearts, making space for renewal and growth in our walk with Jesus. Richard Foster’s prayer invites us to reflect on the state of our inner lives. Are we allowing God to clear away what is lifeless? Are we open to His work of transformation? To a fresh sense of His vision for ourselves, our church, and our community? Are we longing to be rooted in His Word and led by His Spirit?
Richard Foster is known for his deep focus on spiritual disciplines, encouraging followers of Jesus to participate in practices such as prayer, fasting, solitude, and study to draw closer to God. His writings highlight living a balanced Christian life rooted in both contemplation and action, helping us cultivate our souls so that we may be transformed by God’s presence through the Holy Spirit living within us.
In any garden, soil must be prepared before new life can flourish. Weeds must be removed, the ground must be loosened, and nutrients must be restored. In the same way, our souls require tending. The dead growth of past hurts, sins, and distractions can hinder the abundant life God desires for each one of us. Lent calls us to dig deep and let go of that which is separating us from God, through repentance, prayer, and fasting, so that our hearts can become fertile ground for God’s transformative work.
Foster’s imagery reminds us that the routines and customs of our faith, while valuable, can sometimes become hardened clods of habit rather than fresh encounters with our Heavenly Father. Our journey through Lent is an opportunity to invite the Holy Spirit to break up this hardness, breathing new life into our spiritual practices. By embracing fresh challenges, whether in the reading of Scripture, serving, or deepening our prayer life – we open ourselves to the work of renewal that God desires to do within us.
Henri Nouwen reminds us that spiritual growth requires solitude and attentiveness. He writes, “A spiritual life requires discipline because we need to learn to listen to God, who constantly speaks but whom we seldom hear in our hurried lives.”
I encourage all of us to allow ourselves to slow down and to create sacred space for silence and reflection. Just as a gardener must wait patiently for seeds to grow, we too must trust God’s timing, allowing Him to cultivate His work in us in stillness and faith.
Henri Nouwen was deeply influenced by his experiences working with people on the margins, particularly in the L’Arche communities for those with disabilities. His spirituality emphasises vulnerability, inner stillness, and the longing for intimacy with God. Through his reflections, we are reminded that cultivating the soul is not about striving for perfection but about embracing our brokenness and allowing God’s love to transform us from within.
At the heart of this process is being rooted in the Word of God. Just as seeds must be buried deep in good soil to take root, God’s Word must be planted within us, nurtured through meditation, and watered by His Spirit. As we cultivate our souls with patience and faith, new life will emerge – we will see growth and maturity in our spiritual lives, eagerness to spend deepened time with Jesus, and in a renewed sense of purpose.
Let us live with expectant hearts, praying as Richard Foster does: “Cultivate and tend my heart, until new life buds and opens and flowers.”
May we surrender to the loving hands of the Gardener, allowing Him to create something beautiful in us, for His glory and grace.
Much love
Michelle