I subscribe to an email called ‘Moodscope’, which offers thoughts on dealing with depression and mental health issues. Today’s thoughts were entitled ‘the garden of your mind’, and said our minds are like a garden, protected by a wall, continuing, ‘Within that wall is a fertile garden, open to nurturing and growing any thought, idea or imagination that takes root there. The Garden of the Mind does not discriminate but rather multiplies anything that is sown – good or bad, resourceful or unresourceful, positive or negative. Which is why it is wise to guard the garden.’
The Bible, of course, has much to say about guarding our thought life (see 2 Cor 10:5, Phil 4:8-9). I have been contemplating gardens recently, as I have been making chutney from the tomatoes grown in a garden. It’s almost impossible to believe how many tomatoes have been grown from a few tomato plants, giving us the positive side to growth. But growing good things requires vigilance against the slugs that would eat the tomatoes, against the weeds that would choke life and so on. Growth requires pruning. Fruitfulness generally needs a gardener to make the most of growth.
We are the gardeners of our mind, responsible before God for getting rid of the weeds of thoughts that are not tamed by Christ, refusing to let our eyes and ears dwell on things that do not reflect His beauty and goodness. The reverse is also true; as we allow good thoughts and positive images to grow in our minds, we become more like Christ. The email goes on to say, ‘The great news is this stuff just works! What you look at will grow in the garden of your mind. What you listen to will grow in the garden of your mind. Who you mix with – their behaviours, attitudes, habits – all are infectious! Do you know someone with an infectious sense of humour? You’ll catch it if you spend enough time in their presence! Do you know someone with infectious joy? It’s catching!’
As I eat the chutney I made, I’m reminded of the need for vigilance in gardening, but when we guard the thoughts in our mind, the fruit is worth it!
