Ep.1041: How Do You Bloom Where You Are Planted?
Learning to accept our limitations and flourish because of them
CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence! As we go about the business of making our lives work, we can easily and frequently wind up looking at others around us with some level of envy. They seem to have it better than we do, they seem to be more stable or secure or more engaged than we are. These emotional and reactionary observations then give way to those gnawing feelings of “if only I had” or “if only I could” or “why does everything seem to always go their way? What we are left with is a discontented void in our hearts that yearns for fulfillment. How do we get there? As Christians, how do we fill that space with thoughts words and actions that are not envious or discouraged? How do embrace our experiences with a God-honoring and growth-oriented acceptance and outlook?
Even though the phrase “Bloom where you are planted” is NOT from the Bible, it does provide a great basis for framing our lives, though many today would disagree. ‘What if I don’t like where I’m planted?’ ‘Whose decision was it to plant me there?’ ‘What if I decide that a change is in order – I can just make it right? It is my life!’ Such are the misgivings of a society that wants nothing to do with being told what to do or how to do it! Let’s put the picture in order…
For a Christian, the idea of blooming where you are planted is all about putting down our roots of Christianity in the life God gave to us. Blooming is a result of proper watering, feeding and sunshine. It is a result of acquiescing to the will and way of God. This is such a warm and fuzzy picture that we need to trip it up a little, because let’s face it, life is NEVER that simple, calm and orderly!
What happens when instead of focusing on how to bloom, we begin to focus on the uncertain future and end up thinking ‘There’s doom where I am planted!” This is actually a common problem, even for Christians. It is too easy to look ahead and figure we know that what is going to happen is not good. We convince ourselves, brace ourselves and ultimately sabotage ourselves. This is a classic “anticipation without information” blunder. It makes us want to uproot and run because we have substituted the all-knowing wisdom of the God who planted us with the musings and misgivings of the plant itself! Kinda foolish when you think about it, and it’s all too familiar as well!
Check out our October 1, 2018 podcast, “How do You Bloom Where You Are Planted?” to find out more. We discuss several other "blooming malfunctions" besides this sense of doom – like, what if you feel there is no room where you are planted? Each and every one of these growth inhibitors has a clear and powerful solution. All of this truly adds up to a better and stronger Christian life!
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