Bloom where you are planted written in a girly font surrounded by flowers or perhaps with a lone flower that has recently pushed through from the dirt. Whether on a post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or a blog it is often accompanied with words of encouragement telling you that you can do anything if you just work hard and believe in yourself. I look at this saying a tad differently. If I believe that God directs my path then blooming must be more than simply doing or getting what I want in life. Too often when we think of blooming where we are planted we simply look at what we get instead of what we give. Think of a flower for a few moments and while they are beautiful, they have a purpose. Flowers provide food for insects, birds, and even humans. Ever heard of essential oils? Yep, they also provide medicine. What do we do for the flowers though? I can’t say I’ve went outside in my yard and done a single thing for the flowers. As a matter of fact, I don’t even weed the flower beds. I try my best to kill everything in there so I don’t have to touch it again. We’ve owned this house for 15 years and each spring there are flowers that without fail will bloom. I do nothing for them, but they continue doing their job and blooming. Blooming is what they were created to do, without thought of what they get in return. Grab your journal and open your Bible to Matthew 6:25-34. I know it’s a lot to write, but take a few minutes and write the verses in your journal, then highlight verses 28 and 29. Beneath that or on another page go ahead and write what you got from the entire passage you wrote.
What do you think you were created to do? Were you created to worship? Were you created to be like Christ? Were you created to make music? Were you created to write? What do you believe you were created to do? Grab you journal again and list all the things you believe you were created to do.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:10
Those things we were created to do aren’t supposed to be done half heartedly. If we were created to do something then we should do it with every fiber in our being. Matthew 22:37 tells us Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. I hope we can all agree that loving God is what we were created to do. We aren’t supposed to just give it a little effort. For us to bloom it is so much more than what we get out of it and is all about giving Jesus to those around me.
I’ve heard many people say that for them when they hear bloom where you are planted they think about being content. In order to do what God has called me to do, I agree wholeheartedly the first step is being content in where He placed me. In order to bloom I can’t fight my purpose or calling; I must be a willing vessel. Being content isn’t always easy, actually at first it’s almost never easy. God, why did you allow this? God, why isn’t this happening? God, can you let this happen? God, why did this and why did that? Once we find the place where we are content in Him, we can being to bloom as He desires.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:10-12
As you all know the internet is one large rabbit hole. You start in one place and the next thing you know it’s 3 in the morning and you are watching videos of cats jumping through fiery hoops. As hard as you try you have no idea how you got there. My rabbit trail was not that long or exciting, but none the less, down the trail I went. I was recently looking for some ideas for an upcoming church function and ended up in some random blog where the person was saying we needed to stop telling our women at church how they are created in God’s image. As you can image I was a bit put off by her thoughts. By the end I understood her position, but I still can’t say I agree. You see during this series I hope you are beginning to see that you are special, you are created in His image, you are unique. You were made to be more. You are all of these things because your creator is. I hope that these last few weeks as you’ve looked for scripture and prayed that you’ve started to see more of God in you. This series was never created to be about you alone, but about you in Him. I hope that this short series has been a blessing to you as you grow and become more like Him.