From Dying to New Life: What God Taught Me Through a Cactus

Hello my sweet friends,

Many years ago, my mother-in-love gave my daughter a cactus. At the time, my daughter was living in an apartment and was not able to take it with her, so we planted it here at our home.

Now, I want you to understand that our land has a lot of trees and very little full sun. We picked the spot we felt would work best and planted it there.

The first year it did okay, and I felt pretty good about it. But as the years passed, it slowly began dying. Honestly, I thought it was completely dead and was ready to dig it up and throw it away.

But something in me did not want to get rid of it.

So, I prayed and asked God to bring it back to life.

And He did.

As you can see in the picture above, there are now three new green cacti growing from it.

A Lesson From the Holy Spirit

This became such a teaching moment from the Holy Spirit for me.

First and foremost, I want to say this: God hears and answers our prayers. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it is no. Sometimes it is wait.

My husband often says that God answers every prayer, but not always in the way we would want or expect. This was one of those times.

As I began pondering this new growth, one of the things that stood out to me was the number three. Three is such a significant number throughout God’s Word. It immediately reminded me of the Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

God the Father is our Heavenly Father. When we receive Jesus as Savior, we are adopted into His family and become His children.

Jesus is the Son of God who came to make atonement for our sins. He gave His life so we could be forgiven and restored to God. Even now, Jesus intercedes to the Father on our behalf.

The Holy Spirit is our helper, guide, teacher, and counselor. Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit after He returned to the Father. The Holy Spirit also convicts us of sin and leads us into truth.

From Death to New Life

I also thought about the new life growing from what appeared to be a dead cactus.

Immediately, I thought about my own life.

Before Christ, I was dead in my sin. But through Jesus, I have been made alive. When we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus is who He says He is, we become a new creation. Old things pass away, and all things become new.

Even though we may look the same on the outside — like the cactus at the bottom — something has changed within us. There is now new life growing inside.

And the older I get, the more I realize that spiritual growth is often slow, steady, and deeply rooted beneath the surface before anyone else can see it.

A Word Picture the Holy Spirit Gave Me

While writing this blog, the Holy Spirit gave me a word picture I wanted to share with you.

Imagine a teenager receives a brand-new car. His parents never teach him how to maintain it. He drives the car, washes it, and vacuums it out, but he never changes the oil, never pays attention to the warning lights, and never checks the tires.

How long do you think that car will last?

Not very long.

Unfortunately, I feel this is how many believers are living today. They accept Christ — getting the new car — and maybe go to church on Sunday — driving the car — but throughout the week they live however they want with very little regard for God at all.

And sadly, it leads to an unfruitful spiritual life.

Why Discipleship Matters

Just like the teenager needed someone to teach him how to care for the car, new believers need someone to help guide them in their walk with Christ.

Yes, going to church is important. But many believers — especially new believers — need someone to come alongside them, encourage them, and help teach them how to grow spiritually.

I believe this is one reason Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations. It is also why Paul instructed older women to teach younger women.

We need each other.

As women of faith, we should be willing to step up and help one another grow in the Lord.

How Do We Begin?

You may be asking, “How do I even do this?”

First, pray and ask the Holy Spirit what He wants you to do. As I mentioned earlier, He is our teacher, counselor, and guide.

One thing I regularly pray is for the Holy Spirit to examine my heart and reveal anything I need to confess as sin or change so I can be the example I need to be for those I may disciple or mentor.

I believe we are all at different places in our spiritual maturity, but there are a few things every believer should be doing daily:

• Reading God’s Word

• Meditating on Scripture

• Praying and seeking the Lord

There are many ways we grow spiritually, but I believe these are foundational.

Knowing Our Heavenly Father

Just as we desire to know our earthly parents, we should desire to know our Heavenly Father.

We learn who God is through reading and meditating on His Word. The Bible is not ultimately a book about us — it is about God.

Each time we open our Bible, we should ask:

“Where do I see God in this passage?”

The Bible teaches us how to live, but even more than that, it reveals who God is so that our lives can reflect Him and point others toward Him.

A Final Encouragement

As I close today, I want you to reflect on your own spiritual walk.

Are you growing?

Are you spending time in God’s Word and meditating on it so you can become more like Him?

Are you praying and asking the Holy Spirit to make you more like Jesus?

Are you allowing Him to lead you toward someone you could encourage, disciple, or mentor?

My prayer is that this encourages you today. You truly can make a difference. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you can walk alongside someone who may be a new believer — or even someone who simply has never been shown how to grow in her relationship with Christ.

Sometimes all it takes is willingness, obedience, and a heart available to God.

Until next time, my sweet friends,

Beth

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