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A compost heap life

Letting our difficulties become part of the rich mix of our past.

Sorting through

I had been sorting out my compost heap. I had been going through it taking out any stones that had got in there by mistake, breaking up root-balls and clods of rotted kitchen waste. It had not been a great compost heap because it was in a shady place and they need warmth.

What a mixture of stuff there was in there. Some of it hadn’t broken down well yet and I could still tell what it was—potato peelings, some grass cuttings and a tough leaved plant that I cut down the last year. Most of it had rotted down though and it was all in there as part of the rich mix.

Most things that happen in the day-to-day pass quietly by. 

It occurred to me how this is an illustration to one aspect of life. Most things that happen in the day-to-day pass quietly by and we forget the details of them. They make up the rich compost that is our past years. They are part of what has made us who we are.

Also in life, hopefully, there are many lovely things that have happened which we remember for a long time. These are good but are not what I felt my compost heap illustrated well. No, what occupied my mind in the garden was those tough, stubborn bits that need to break down but won’t. They linger and when we turn over our thoughts there they are ready to be identified and perhaps cause us concern when what we need is for them to pass by into the mixture of life.

Letting go

If you have things which you feel you should have let pass but can’t, I want you to know that I have been praying for you as I have written this article. If there is anything specific that I can pray for, you could contact me via the home page and I will happily spend some time communicating with you and praying for your specific situation.

Maybe the following prayer will be of help to you.

Loving father God,

 I thank you that you hold me in your hand. I thank you that all through history you have cared for your people and watched over them. You have rejoiced when they have rejoiced and grieved when they have grieved and that includes the days of my life. You have never turned away from me even when I have not thought of you. Heavenly father, my heart is heavy. There are things from which I would like to move on but they seem to have a hold on me. If there are lessons I still need to learn, I pray that you would gently teach me, but Father I ask you most to teach me how to move on from these things which hold me. Comfort me today as I lift these thoughts to you in Jesus name. 

Amen.

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This article © Linda Faber 2006-2009.