Blooming Where We're Planted
Plants don’t bloom without water, sunlight, the proper climate, and a miracle of God. Without the right conditions, plants become stressed and wither. Like plants, people need water to survive, not only to drink and cook, but to wash away illness-causing germs.
We also need sunlight for vitamin D, energy, health, and to see where we’re going! Some people living in particularly overcast climates actually suffer from a medical condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) caused by sunlight deprivation.
Proper climate varies by the plant – cactus thrive in a hot, dry desert while ferns need cool shade and plenty of moisture. The right environment varies for people too. Extroverts thrive on interaction and constant activity while introverts require periods of calm, quiet time alone.
Yet neither plant nor animal survives without a miracle from God. God created us to bloom. He places us here to be fruitful – to grow and thrive and lean toward the sun – His son.
This summer, a drought has overtaken much of the country. Not only have many crops failed due to lack of rain, many people have suffered due to lack of job and a sluggish economy. For many of you, the advice to bloom where you’re planted has been both an inspiration and a dilemma, as it has for me.
During difficult days when I longed for better circumstances, I was inspired to make the best of my situation. I found nuggets of joy where I could. They are everywhere if we look – a stunning sunset during the drive home after a long day’s work, the laughter of a mischievous child next door as his puppy poops on your lawn, a blooming yellow dandelion sprouting through a crack in the sidewalk, the cheerful romp of squirrels foraging your bird feeder.
Everything in this fallen world holds a positive and negative. While I’ve always had a “glass half full” mindset, my dilemma has been wanting to move from the crack in the sidewalk to the lush flowerbed. I want the drought to be over! Is that so wrong? Am I supposed to bloom where I’m planted and be happy with my lot in life?
Yes and no. Most of us are familiar with the Bible verse, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11). But many don’t realize the apostle Paul spoke those words while confined in prison. Surely he did not intend to stay in prison any longer than he had to. Prison was not God’s ultimate goal for Paul. Yet Paul made the most of his time there – praying, meditating on the memorized words of God, and sharing his faith with other prisoners and even the jailers.
Like Paul, blooming where we’re planted does not mean we shouldn’t strive for the best possible life that God has planned for us. It means we should enjoy the journey along the way, and appreciate where we are right now. While striving for a better tomorrow, we must live life to the fullest today.
We also need sunlight for vitamin D, energy, health, and to see where we’re going! Some people living in particularly overcast climates actually suffer from a medical condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) caused by sunlight deprivation.
Proper climate varies by the plant – cactus thrive in a hot, dry desert while ferns need cool shade and plenty of moisture. The right environment varies for people too. Extroverts thrive on interaction and constant activity while introverts require periods of calm, quiet time alone.
Yet neither plant nor animal survives without a miracle from God. God created us to bloom. He places us here to be fruitful – to grow and thrive and lean toward the sun – His son.
This summer, a drought has overtaken much of the country. Not only have many crops failed due to lack of rain, many people have suffered due to lack of job and a sluggish economy. For many of you, the advice to bloom where you’re planted has been both an inspiration and a dilemma, as it has for me.
During difficult days when I longed for better circumstances, I was inspired to make the best of my situation. I found nuggets of joy where I could. They are everywhere if we look – a stunning sunset during the drive home after a long day’s work, the laughter of a mischievous child next door as his puppy poops on your lawn, a blooming yellow dandelion sprouting through a crack in the sidewalk, the cheerful romp of squirrels foraging your bird feeder.
Everything in this fallen world holds a positive and negative. While I’ve always had a “glass half full” mindset, my dilemma has been wanting to move from the crack in the sidewalk to the lush flowerbed. I want the drought to be over! Is that so wrong? Am I supposed to bloom where I’m planted and be happy with my lot in life?
Yes and no. Most of us are familiar with the Bible verse, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11). But many don’t realize the apostle Paul spoke those words while confined in prison. Surely he did not intend to stay in prison any longer than he had to. Prison was not God’s ultimate goal for Paul. Yet Paul made the most of his time there – praying, meditating on the memorized words of God, and sharing his faith with other prisoners and even the jailers.
Like Paul, blooming where we’re planted does not mean we shouldn’t strive for the best possible life that God has planned for us. It means we should enjoy the journey along the way, and appreciate where we are right now. While striving for a better tomorrow, we must live life to the fullest today.
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