Over the years, I have learned that I’m much better at growing plants outdoors than indoors. I think this is partly because the Lord occasionally sends rain to the plants that abide outdoors, nurturing them with the vital moisture they need to flourish. In contrast, my faithfulness in watering my indoor plants isn’t very consistent; life often distracts me, and I tend to forget their needs amidst my busy daily routine.
Life at my house just seems to be a bit hard for my little Peace Lily who likes to dramatically droop her leaves when she gets a little thirsty. Thirty minutes after being given a little drink she perks right up again. I do try, but I have yet to master the how much and how often of watering my houseplants.
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) prefer indirect sunlight, so I keep mine a few feet from an east-facing window. She has bloomed there, indicating she likes the light, but I might not be watering her correctly. I use tap water and let it sit overnight to reach room temperature and lose chlorine, but her leaves have brown tips. This could mean she needs more or less water. I might set a schedule on my phone for regular watering. I’ve also heard that too much fertilizer can cause brown tips, and I use a weak solution of Miracle Grow when watering. Going forward, I plan to use plain water and only apply Miracle Grow every other month.
My own life can sometimes feel overwhelming and tiring due to lack of sleep, a long to-do list, or not enough exercise. Often, this results in feeling lethargic in daily activities. Difficult situations, like work problems, family discord, or ongoing physical pain, can also drain my joy. However, the main issue that usually causes this feeling of droopiness is spiritual neglect.
Spiritual neglect can look different for everyone. In my experience, spiritual droopiness usually happens when I don’t engage with the Word of God often enough to satisfy my spiritual thirst.
A correlating sign of spiritual neglect is a lack of thankfulness and forgetting that every area of my life is meant to be lived for the glory of God. This attitude often manifests itself in life as a lack of peace as I approach life’s daily routines, becoming consumed by my own desires and challenges, neglecting to recognize the divine purpose behind this life God has loaned to me. It is crucial to remember that even in the mundane tasks of life, there lies an opportunity for worship. By cultivating a heart of thankfulness, we can experience the fullness of life that God intends, allowing us to see His hand at work in both the highs and lows of our journey.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV)
Barefoot Lily Lady 