It is good for every believer in the Lord Jesus to consider that he has been given a garden. That garden is his daily life, in which to grow that which will be for the eternal glory of his Lord. Can we willingly invite the north wind to blow upon it? The north wind speaks of circumstances of adversity, while the south wind speaks of pleasantness. God sees both as essential if our garden is to yield what is acceptable to Him. The smell of the garden is more evident when the wind blows. Surely we desire the fragrance of our lives to bring joy and delight to His heart.

A great deal depends, of course, on how we accept adversity. If we quietly accept it from the Lord and seek His grace to learn from it, this is a sweet odor indeed. It is essential too that we have a proper spirit in which to accept the good and pleasant circumstances. Thinking we deserve them will send forth an unpleasant odor of smug self-satisfaction. But, being deeply grateful for the grace of God in the midst of the pleasant circumstances, this is a fragrance pleasing to Him. If we seek His help in inviting both north and south winds to blow, we shall not be hesitant to have our Beloved come into His garden and eat its pleasant fruits.

When my soul is prepared to seek the pleasure of my beloved Lord Jesus, I will no longer think of my life as my own personal garden, but rather as His garden. Then there will be a realization that any proper response to the working of His Spirit in my heart is divinely wrought. It is not my own, but a divine work of the living God in my heart that He has prepared by His grace. May He have the joy of coming to my garden and eating pleasant fruits!