I have an extensive garden behind my house, filled with a multitude of perennial plants that come back every year, and many annuals that I plant each spring and look forward to working on year after year.
In one back corner, close to the creek running through our backyard, I’ve built a patio with a table and chairs where I often sit to read my Bible and write Fresh Manna. On that table sits a vase that I fill with flowers from my garden. Recently, I filled it with Baby’s Breath and Zinnias—a combination that looked absolutely stunning.
It was about a week before I returned to the patio, ready for another quiet time with the Lord. As I approached, the flowers that once looked so beautiful now appeared sad and lifeless. The water in the vase had turned green. The petals drooped. I had forgotten to care for them. Everything around it was still beautiful, but that vase—once full of life—had become a picture of neglect.
That scene instantly brought a scripture to my heart written by David in Psalms 119:16 (NIV) — "I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."
Those weren’t just David’s words—they were inspired by God’s Spirit for us to learn from. God doesn’t want us to neglect His Word because neglect is the slow decay of what was once beautiful. Scripture teaches us not to neglect wise counsel, our spiritual gifts, godly relationships, or even our salvation. Each is a gift from God, meant to fill our lives with joy, strength, and purpose. But when we neglect them, the beauty fades—and what once inspired us begins to wither.
Neglect doesn’t happen overnight. It sneaks in quietly. Things look fine from a distance—until you take a closer look. A once-beautiful marriage begins to suffer when time, care, and communication are neglected. A friendship that once brought laughter turns cold when ignored. A garden fills with weeds when the gardener stops tending it. And our relationship with Jesus—once full of life and joy—can start to feel distant and dry when we stop feeding it with prayer and His Word.
That’s what neglect does. It doesn’t destroy instantly; it decays gradually.
So what do we do when we realize we’ve neglected something God has given us?
The first step is to admit it—to God and to yourself. Acknowledge it honestly and ask the Lord to help you get back on track. Neglect usually starts small—with weariness, then procrastination, then a loss of discipline. Left unchecked, it matures into laziness, indifference, and finally apathy—the emotional and spiritual equivalent of stage four cancer. Like cancer, neglect silently eats away at the health and beauty of your life until you feel like there’s no way back.
But there is a way back! God’s grace is greater than our neglect. When you sincerely ask Him for help, He will strengthen you to rebuild what’s been lost. The process might feel uncomfortable at first—your flesh will resist—but as you take even the smallest steps forward, life begins to flow again.
Start by thanking God for what you’ve taken for granted. Maybe it’s your spouse, your children, your friendships, your church, or your health. Maybe it’s your relationship with the Lord Himself. Thank Him for those blessings and remember why they mattered to you in the first place. Then take action—small, practical steps—to give attention to what has been neglected. Replace the stale water. Pull the weeds. Pick up the phone. Bless with a gift and sorrow for the neglect you allowed. And regarding the Lord, open your Bible again.
When you do, you’ll begin to see beauty return to what once seemed lifeless. Passionately caring for what God has entrusted to you is one of the greatest ways to honor Him.
How can we neglect the things God has given us and expect them to flourish? We can’t. Neglect always leads to decline, but attention—especially when fueled by love—restores life. Ask God today to strengthen you by His Spirit so that you can once again nurture what He’s blessed you with.
When I finally poured out that dirty vase water and replaced it with fresh water and new flowers, the entire patio seemed to come alive again. It looked beautiful—and honestly, so did my heart.
Hebrews 2:3 (NKJV) — "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him."
