First, let’s talk about a new phenomenon that has taken over houses all over the planet. It’s not fancy technology like robot vacuums or smart refrigerators, either. It’s house plants. In recent years, international sales of potted ferns, succulents, and bonsai trees have increased insanely. The National Gardening Association (yes, that’s a real thing) estimated that Americans spent more than $2 billion on indoor plants and accessories in 2021, which is almost double the value two years prior. As you can see, people love bringing the great outdoors, well, indoors.

If you have ever adopted a house plant, you have learned just how difficult it can be to keep these things alive. They require the right temperature, quality sunlight, plenty of water, and key nutrients to flourish in the strange ecosystem of your living room. If you’re like me and don’t have a green thumb, you have inevitably had to throw a vegetal victim of your incompetence into the trash a time or two.

Ironically, plants do just fine in the wild. They flourish with zero oversight from “plant parents,” but it’s completely different when you take them out of their natural habitat and into a climate-controlled apartment. Why do plants struggle indoors? This is not the best environment for their growth. They need the right environment to grow, and your house is not that. That’s where the work comes in. You have to ensure your plant gets appropriate sunshine, water, and nourishment because nature isn’t going to send rain, sunrises, and pollinators. Their growth is your job.

From the time all humans are born, they want to grow. We want to grow from crawling to walking. We want to grow taller. We want to grow a circle of friends. The same is true for you. Your growth is your job. It requires intentional effort and work because it will not just happen naturally. Your spiritual growth requires intentionality. Are you ready to grow?