Bloom Where You Are Planted

Did you ever find yourself thinking things like, if only I worked somewhere else, if only I had a different boss, if only I had different co-workers, if only my husband/wife only understood me better, etc....... This is what I call the “if only” syndrome. Somehow you think life would be infinitely better if only _________.

God know who you are, He knows where you are, and He has plan for all of it. Sometimes we can't see that plan when we are in the midst of difficult circumstances but He will see you through the hard times in your life. I have had several occasions where I just didn't understand why God could let certain things happen in my life. Now, looking back on it, I can see His plan and I understand. I think sometimes God allows us to experience certain hardships so that we can minister to someone else later on who is going through the same thing. We can't understand that but God sees all things from the beginning of time until the end and He knows why things happen.

In Philippians 4:11, Paul writes "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Wherever you are in life, take time to look around you and find things to be thankful for. Paul says he has learned to be content. That implies that there was a process involved. He wasn't automatically content. It was something he was taught to be through the circumstances in his life. In verse 4 of that same chapter Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always." No matter what is going on in your life, God knows about it. Nothing takes him by surprise. He never wonders what is going to happen next. He never questions anything or learns anything new. Rest in the fact that God sees the beginning and the end, he loves you, and he has a wonderful plan for your life.

Just as a flower has no choice in where it is planted, we often are in situations beyond our control. So simply choose to bloom where you are planted.