May: A Season of Growth (and the occasional weed!)
May is a hopeful sort of month. The days stretch out, the sun makes more frequent appearances (we hope), and gardens begin to look alive again. Even those of us without green fingers can appreciate the quiet miracle of things growing — flowers blooming, trees filling out, and yes… weeds popping up exactly where we didn’t plant them. It’s a gentle reminder that growth is happening all the time, often beneath the surface before we even notice it.
In the Christian life, growth can feel a bit like that. We might wish for dramatic transformations — instant patience, unshakeable faith, the ability to love everyone. But more often, God works in slower, quieter ways. A kind word we’re prompted to offer. Finding a moment of peace where there was once worry. The courage to keep going when things feel uncertain, after we have prayed.
In the Bible, Jesus often used images of seeds and gardens. A tiny seed, after all, doesn’t look very impressive. Yet given time, care, and a bit of sunshine, it becomes something far greater than it first appeared. In the same way, even the smallest acts of faith or kindness can grow into something beautiful.
Of course, just like in any garden, there are weeds. We all have them — those habits, worries, or distractions that seem to spring up overnight and make themselves quite at home. The good news is that God is a patient gardener. He doesn’t give up on us when things get a bit overgrown. Instead, He gently tends, nurtures, and encourages new life.
So this May, perhaps take a moment to notice what is growing in your own life, giving thanks for the good and asking God’s help with those things which need patient tending.
Wishing you a joyful and hopeful May
With every blessing
Rev’d Andrew Hiscox