Are you unhappy where you are in life? Do you wish you were in a different place, or doing something different? Well, you are not alone. Many people share that sentiment. Life may not be ideal where you are now, but you are supposed to find fulfillment and contentment, right where God has placed you, and to bloom where you are planted. God knows what is best for you. It is in that broken and aerated soil that God wishes to grow that beautiful flower that He wants you to be. You are to trust the hands of the Master Gardener.
The expression “bloom where you are planted” means that you should take advantage of the opportunities you have in your life and be grateful for the present situation. To do this, you must first work on cultivating the right mentality. Try to appreciate the present and accept changes and setbacks. Secondly, look for opportunity where you can. Take risks, make connections, and work your hardest. And lastly, make the most of each day. Try to be a positive force from one day to the next, and, eventually, you will begin to bloom.
Never doubt what God is doing in your life. God always works from a plan, and He knows what is necessary and the right time to execute His plan. You are in the right place although it may seem unpleasant or contrary to you. God sees and knows the bigger picture of your life. He always prepares us before He releases us to perform any tasks. He can use you right now, in the place or situation in which you find yourself. You are meant to be there. It was not a mistake or oversight. God has placed you there for a reason and for a season. So, cooperate with Him. Never run ahead of Him.
Concentrate on doing your best and being the best you can be at your present assignment. Even if you do not have a job yet, be patient and stay there until God is ready for you. One great way to bloom in any circumstances is to always be on the lookout for life lessons. Ask yourself what you can learn and how you can make your present experiences and situation into a life lesson. Even bad situations come with lessons. You may learn a lot about yourself in the process. This could be your chance to get to know yourself better. Be positive, do not think of the present moment as a waste. No matter where you are in life, God wants you to bloom where you are and shine His glory where you are.
Life with all its ups and downs, does not have to keep you down spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Doing the right thing, doing what God has called you to do is usually not very easy. However, God has called you exactly where you are to bless the lives of the people that you come in contact with. That place you are, is your mission field for that moment, so use the time wisely. Never regret a day in your life, good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons and best days give memories. When you feel scared or uncertain, turn to the Scriptures and ask the Lord for guidance and strength.
The Bible has several great examples of individuals who bloomed where they were and who proved that you can go through difficult times and make it through to the other side with God as your guide.
Perhaps no Bible character suffered more than the man called Job. He had everything — a good family, a good name and plenty of wealth. But then Satan went to God and asked for permission to alter Job’s good fortune. Then tragedy struck and Job lost everything: his children, his wealth, his livestock, his crops, his health and even the relationship of his wife and friends. And what did Job do? Not curse God, as Satan had thought he would. Instead, he praised His name. Job 1:20-21, “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I come from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
The rest of the Book of Job tells us that through it all, Job struggled with his suffering, he said to God, “Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the plans of the wicked?” (Job 10:1-4)
The moral of Job’s story is: It is okay to question God or the reasons for why something is happening, but there is no need for us to stay there. Job eventually repented and was humbled before God.
Moses was another person who found himself in a very difficult place and who had to bloom where he was placed in life. Earlier on in his life, he ran to the wilderness to flee from Pharaoh who wanted to kill him. Later he returned to Egypt to convince the new Pharaoh to free the Israelites, risking his life. It was a long tough time for him but with God’s help, Moses successfully led the Israelites across the Red Sea and away from Pharaoh’s army. The time came when they were free at last! But soon enough, problems occurred: three days had passed, and they could not find drinkable water. If their situation did not change, they would all perish.
So, what did Moses do? He cried out to God. “And the Lord showed him a piece of wood, He threw it in the water, and the water became fit to drink” (Exodus 15:25). From Moses, we learn something simple yet often overlooked: We should remember to turn to God for help. While it is easy to focus on earthly solutions during difficult moments, God can help us in ways we may never imagine.
Have you ever been stuck in a situation where you could see no way out? Where every answer made matters worse? That was Joseph’s story. He found himself in a prison, a place he never planned to be. His circumstances looked bleak, but Joseph stuck with it. He was not where he wanted to be, but he bloomed where he was planted. During that time, the man in charge of the prison saw that Joseph was a good man. So, he put him in charge of all the other prisoners. He used his time wisely; he helped others and interpreted their dreams. Joseph worked diligently, remained patient and optimistic to the end. Finally, the perfect time came, God was ready for him. God moved him from the prison to the top – the second in charge of the land. It pays to wait on God my friends.
Genesis 39 tells us, “The Lord began to bless Potiphar because of Joseph”. Potiphar was an influential, successful leader. You would think Joseph would be blessed because he worked for Potiphar, but it was the other way around. Potiphar was blessed because of Joseph, a slave, a foreigner in captivity that had the favour of God. For his wisdom, Joseph was made a ruler in Egypt, second only to the king. What a story! You see, if God is for you, nothing or no one will be allowed to come against you.
That is the same for all believers if we are in the will of God, no matter where we are, God’s favour will be on our lives. The location does not stop God’s favour. Therefore, whenever we are experiencing difficult times, tragedies, or setbacks, we must not complain nor sulk, give up, or yield to the temptation of mediocrity or become bitter. Let us turn it over to God and trust Him. God’s people are to be instruments of His blessing even in disheartening circumstances. During those times, let us respond positively to God’s direction in faith and bloom where we are planted. This will not only impact the lives of those around us for good, but it will provide enhanced blessings for ourselves.
Remember: Cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. Fear nothing. Let your life reflect your faith. Pray for and about everything. Be strong, trust God and trust the process. The more you go with the flow of life and surrender all the outcomes to God, and the less you seek constant clarity, the more you will find that wonderful, unimaginable things will start to show up in your life.
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volumes 1 through 4. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre.
