Flowers in Bloom

Think about it like a flower. When does the flower grow?? Does it grow before the rain storm? No. Does it grow during the rain storm? No. Does it grow AFTER the rain storm? YES!!! In order for growth and maturity to happen, it must endure the rain storm, and then finally after the rain has stopped will the flower grow. You too, must endure “rain storms”, only afterwards may you grow and mature. You must not think about the drops that are hitting you during the storm, you must soak it all in, you must perceive the end results. You must have those things that are being dropped on you and beating you up in order to go further. Think about a flower again. You may plant a flower that needs a lot of water and sun and it sprouts up and is just starting to blossom: there are three ways it can go- 1) if it was planted where the pounding of the rain never hit it, then it would just wait and shrivel up and die- 2) if it was planted where the pounding of the rain did hit it, but it gave up and wouldn’t withstand the pounding rain and strong winds, then it would die- 3) if it is planted where it had a routine rain shower and strong winds, and it persevered, then only AFTER enduring the storm would it become a full blossom. The rain helps give it life, helps it shine vibrantly, gives it strength in the stem, leaves, and petals. The strong winds that try to knock it down, but actually make the roots grow deeper and stronger, enabling it to become more stable for the next storm and growing into an area of soil that is more nutritious. So, whether you see a storm coming, or are amidst a storm, you must let your roots grow deeper; your foundation become stronger; brace yourself by leaning on God’s words, perceive the end result and allow each storm to be your “enabler” to grow and mature--- in order to fully blossom. You see, if at any time before the end of the storm you just let go and allow the wind to carry you, if you think that just because you have roots (they may be shallow roots), and/or you have even spouted from the ground that this is it, this is all there is to life; then YOU are not allowing yourself to fully bloom. If you have tried everything to make it through the storms but feel like a failure, then do this-make the constant effort of relying on God without giving up on Him make sure that God is your brace in the storms. For He will NOT ever give up on you. Remember to use His words as a way to brace yourself during the storm, and when you have blossomed it is THEN you need to be there for God, to be a living testimony of His power. Too many people are too busy “blaming” God for their storms, not ever realizing that God is right there beside them the entire time enduring those storms with them, that He is there to help, all they need to do is recognize Him, trust Him, and have faith that He will help you get through the storm. Back to the flower (or a plant) and the various places it can be planted. Different flowers need different things. Some flowers need more rain than others, and some flowers need more sun than others. Some flowers only bloom once a year, others may only bloom once, and yet some are in their full bloom all the time. These flowers (plants) must be planted in exactly the right spots according to what will help them ultimately have the best opportunity of blossoming. We each have also been planted in specific areas in order to have the best possible chance of blooming. Some of us are planted in areas that have more storms to endure, while others may be “house plants” and be in a sheltered environment. We need to realize that we were not planted in their environment because what their needs are can be very different than our needs. The results that both are striving for may be the same; to prosper, to grow, to blossom, but you must be planted in the location that is giving you what you need. If you were transplanted to a place that didn’t provide the correct amount of rain and sun for you, then you would not blossom fully and would die. Just as flowers/plants blossom differently, we too blossom differently. We can not compare ourselves to a flower that is in full bloom all year and think we are not “good enough” to always shine vibrantly, just as a flower that is in full bloom can not compare to one that only blooms once a year and say to themselves “Why do I always have to be the shining example, why do they get to rest and I don’t?” It takes all kinds of flowers/plants to make nature a magnificent show of God’s artwork, just as it takes all kinds of people to make the world a beautiful place. Remember that you have your own needs, strengths, weaknesses, purpose, that you must not waste time or effort to compare yourself to others, you must brace yourself for whatever storms YOU have to go through knowing that in the end it will be exactly what you needed to reach YOUR potential.