Why does something have to die?

I like plants and I have a few in my home. I take care of them as best I know how - by placing them near the window, and by watering them regularly. Not too much at one time because I could (and have) over-watered them, and they turn yellow and sickly. So now I wait until they are pretty much gasping for moisture - then I add some water to the dry parched ground.

I did that today, which is three days earlier than my normal routine - just because they looked so dry. I was wondering to myself, "Are these guys healthy the way I'm caring for them?"  Lately since I've been watering them this way, there's a leaf at the bottom of the plant that turns yellow and I just wait until it totally dies so that I can easily remove it from the plant without causing any distress to the main plant section.

As I pondered these thoughts and looked closer at the plants, I can see that there are new leaves growing. That tells me that yes, my plants are doing well exactly the way I have been caring for them. Then I got to thinking about the growth process of my plants. The renewal process. Something has to die in order for the plant to mature and grow in its foundation or girth, so that it will reach the heights that God intended when He created it.

That is just like us as born-again Believers. Something has to die in us - first of all - to be saved from our sin and rebellion - and then it must be a continual thing. Each and every day, something in us must die. We must die to self - to our own desires - our worldly passions - in order to offer a clean and ready vessel of our life - to allow God to pour his Holy Spirit into our life. He will then change our hopes, dreams, desires, and life goals, to match exactly what God desires for us. God has a plan for each and every one of us, and until we realize that - until we realize that THAT is the only way we will find true happiness, joy and fulfillment in life, we will continue to struggle as we blindly try to fill that emptiness we feel. That hole in our heart that was meant to be filled by having a relationship with Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Fulfillment found only in Him

• Psalm 16:11 “…in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

  
  

• Psalm 63:1 “…my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee…”

  
  

• Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

  
  

• Matthew 22:37–38 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.”