The Cultivated Heart

One morning, I woke up exceptionally early determined to get some much needed time with God before our toddlers woke. Tiptoeing into the family room and keeping my knees straight to avoid the inevitable cracking that seemed to always wake the sleeping babies, I successfully made it to the sofa without a sound. I nestled into the sofa and my body froze when I heard a rustling and a door creak open. Once again, a sweet, groggy face appeared. It seemed if I got up early, the toddlers would too. If I got up earlier, they would too. Except on Sundays. On Sundays we had to wake them to get them to church on time. How could I learn to live life with God in the midst of a life of interruptions and the urgent that always seemed to crowd out the important?

Our kids are mostly grown now, but what God taught me in the little years will stay with me for a lifetime and changed the way I live my life. 

In Matthew 13:3-23, we find the parable of the farmer and the seed. The farmer sowed seed and some fell on the path, some on rocky soil, some among thorns and some on good soil. Only the seed that fell on good soil produced a harvest. If soil is not conducive to growth, even good seeds will not grow. Good soil is soft and ready to cultivate life. In this parable, the seed is the Word of God and the soil is our hearts. The soil of our hearts determines a lot about our lives. I always wrestled with this parable. What is good soil practically and how do I cultivate it? Is it doing the right things? Are certain lives or seasons more conducive to having good soil than others? Can good soil be cultivated even in chaotic seasons? I learned the condition of our heart’s soil is affected by where we turn our attention. Good, soft soil has everything to do with the orientation of our hearts.

Right in the middle of the ‘little years,’ where I often found it hard to find space for uninterrupted time with God and my ‘quiet times’ were often not all that quiet, I learned something profoundly beautiful: God is not just wanting to be with us in our set times with Him, but also with us in our lives as they are. 

No matter what moment we are in, we can learn to turn our attention towards Him. The more we begin to invite Him into the ordinary and mundane moments, the more we begin to notice Him around us. In the moments of overwhelm and fears, joys and triumphs, hopes and dreams, disappointments and loss, confusion and wondering, shame and failure, we will find God is listening. 

One way to develop deeper trust in God is to invite Him into the nooks and crannies of our days. Growing trust in God softens the hardened soil of our hearts. Soft soil is ready to receive from God, notice His movements and take Him at His Word. This trust gives us the confidence to actually do what He says, be vulnerable with Him and leads to true life change. God, who knows us fully and loves us deeply, has not left us on our own. As we learn to live our moments with Him, we will find a softness in our hearts growing and great harvest in our lives. Good, soft soil is something God cultivates in us as we learn to turn our attention towards Him in our ordinary lives no matter what season we are in.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

About the Author

​Hi! I'm Wendy Gerdes. My husband John and I live in Omaha, NE. I get to be mom to three sons, one daughter and one daughter-in-law. I spent many years homeschooling our kids but have now worked myself out of that job. Now, I spend my time helping with my husband's IT business, writing, teaching about spiritual formation and being with our kids in their current season. I love the outdoors, reading and being with people. I am passionate about following Jesus in the everyday and joining Him in what He is doing.