Patience in the Garden

Of all the plants in the garden, the bramble is the most stubborn and most unruly. It is a wild bush. Much time and effort is required to prune back his branches, and this is not without some consequence for the Gardener, for the bramble easily pricks and scratches him. And yet how patient is he and how gentle in his care? For he knows the wild nature of the bramble but knows all the more, that well tended it will bloom and produce much fruit at its appointed time.

It is the patience of the Gardner that encourages the bramble, and gives him the hope of blooming in due season. For unruly is his life, and he often grows where he will, where he should not be. How often must he frustrate the Gardner with his stubborn branches that bend so unwillingly. With much difficulty does he change his growing course.

The bramble would do well to take courage in the tending of so good a Gardner. For he knows what he is doing in the tending of so unruly a bush. For what seems to the bramble a mistake may very well be for the Gardener an opportunity. Trim here, prune there, pinup here and secure there. See how patient and thoughtful the Gardner works. The bramble would do well to be as patient with himself and the Gardner is with him.

Though he is stubborn, and training his branches is not an easy task, he does change, he does grow and flourish in the garden. It is the brambles effort to grow, to spread wide and far his branches, it is his nature. But is it the Gardner who directs his path, who watches day and night over the bramble, who rightly trims and prunes in due time.

With confidence let the bramble submit to the master, to trust the efforts of so good a Gardener. For what the bramble may not see from his place in the garden, is the plan of the Gardner. For it is he who planted him here, and he who will tend to so beautiful and diverse a garden.

“Unwilling as I may seem O Lord to bend in the direction of your hand, be ever patient with me as I grow here in Your garden. Do not abandon me to my unruly nature, but tame and subdue me, set me right upon the course of your desire. Grant me patience with myself, as you are so patient with me. May I in your careful hands, come to bloom and fruit in time, according to your most perfect will. Amen.”