Bloom Where You Are Planted

Read Time: 3 minutes

Sometimes, a simple word or piece of advice is all that is needed. Simple, short statements stick with us. They are easy to remember.

I want to share a phrase that entered my mind a few weeks ago. I am not sure that it is from the Lord, but I have a hunch it might be. It has truly been helpful. Here it is:

Bloom where you are planted.

Yep, that’s it. For Christians, it is related to trusting God’s providential guidance in your life, being a good steward of what you have (rather than focusing on what you don’t), and ultimately living faithful to the command and call to glorify God in all things.

Christians are notorious for quoting Jeremiah 29:11. I am not even going to write it here. However, this is a word that God spoke to Jeremiah about the 70 years of captivity that were just beginning at the hands of the Babylonians (who would reign until they were defeated by Cyrus and the Persians in 539 B.C., which was to the political and religious benefit of the Jews). God does not tell Jeremiah that he will rescue his people from that captivity. Instead, he tells Jeremiah what the nation of Israel should focus on in that less-than-ideal set of circumstances. God tells them, “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:5–7).

In other words, “Bloom where you are planted.”

Here are verses that are helpful.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV): So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Colossians 3:17 (NIV): And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.