Thrive & Bloom Where You’re Planted

Bloom where you’re planted, is a phrase that has been around for a long time. But does it apply it to our spiritual lives, and is there a message there for us today? I’ve noticed where I live that during the summer months the roadside grass verges, and even the lower slopes of the mountains, are full of bright orange to red flowers. They add a beautiful splash of color and thrive among the brambles, gorse, and heather. I planted some in my garden and was surprised to find out that they are not native to our area – but they are thriving!

Bloom Where You’re Planted

The phrase, ‘bloom where you’re planted’ has been attributed to Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva. This godly man wrote these words over four hundred years ago and they are still being quoted today. They are founded in Scripture, meditating and reflecting on the love of God.

Bloom Where You’re Planted Quote

Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where He has planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His Providence.

Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva 1567-1622

The words may seem a bit dated to us now, but the truth that they convey is unchanged. ‘Truly charity has no limit’ is an unusual phrase to apply to ourselves but the fact is we are all in desperate need of God’s grace. When we recognize that there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves, that we need Jesus, our Lord and Savior, we position ourselves to encounter Him.

Then we are ready to receive God’s love, poured into our hearts as we receive forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are called to a life of devotion – chosen to love the Lord, because He first loved us. God invites us to bloom where He has planted us, not just to survive but to thrive, and to demonstrate His abundance.

God directs us to shine for Him and to be a sweet aroma. When God’s love is revealed in our actions, it has the power to bless and change the atmosphere. We can all be influencers – sharing the good news of Jesus – not just by what we do, but by who we are!

Bloom Where You Are Planted Meaning

I believe that God places us intentionally – we are where we are not by chance, but for a reason. When we are guided by God, wherever He plants us, that is the place where we can bloom and thrive! Not just to struggle, or barely survive, but to flourish and reveal the goodness of a generous God!

Those bright flowers that I see growing locally in the grass verges, are thriving, but when I looked them up, I found that they were part of the Iris family – native to the grasslands of southern and eastern Africa. Their natural environment ranges from South Africa to the Sudan, but they are also now blooming in Wales, in a completely different climate.

How do You Bloom Where You’re Planted?

The concept of thriving regardless of our circumstances is expressed throughout Scripture, particularly in the Psalms and the Prophets.

Blessed is the one….. whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1:1, 2-3

Psalm 1 is an opening prayer, leading us into the book of psalms. It lays out the foundation for Christian living and gives a clear description of how to thrive in every season. When there are many changes to negotiate and uncertainties to be faced, we can be secure when we remain steadfast in the Word of God. What we read or listen to today may not always have an immediate impact. But when we absorb the word of God daily we are developing spiritual resilience for when difficult and testing times come.

When everything else is stripped away what remains is our foundation, based on trusting in God. When we place our trust in Him beyond the visible and see with eyes of faith, then it is possible to thrive and bloom where you’re planted!

Trust is looking with eyes of faith beyond the visible to see the goodness of God

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But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Inspiration to Thrive Wherever We are Planted

Scripture has many examples of those who placed their trust wholeheartedly in God and thrived in a foreign climate. God’s plan was often bigger than their personal story. But He invites us to co-work with the Holy Spirit that His purposes may prevail. Here are just a few examples from Scripture to inspire us:

Joseph recognized God’s hand at work in his life, to preserve the nation of Israel. What his brothers intended for harm, God intended for good – to save many lives.

Ruth was willing to leave all that was familiar behind and faithfully support her mother-in-law. She became part of the ancestry of Jesus, an outsider brought into the family of God.

And then there is Daniel – a young man whose country and city had been defeated in battle. He was deported, taken as a prisoner to a foreign land. He may well have expected to be a leader, a successful man in Jerusalem, his own city, making his own decisions and choices for his life. Instead, Daniel is in Babylon, having lost his freedom, he is now to be trained in a different culture, language, and tradition to serve a foreign king. He has even been given a new name – everything had been taken from him, nothing remained.

Nothing remained of all that Daniel had externally, but he had integrity, trust, and faith in God that remained as his foundation. A testing time came, and Daniel proved God’s faithfulness, again, and again. God blessed him with knowledge, understanding, and advancement.

To thrive and bloom where you’re planted is to live in the fullness of who God created you to be. Even when everything else appears to be lost, to believe and trust in the goodness of God. He is in control – God has got your situation in His hands!

Be Resilient!

To bloom where you’re planted is to keep our integrity and stay true to who we are. Not to compromise with the truth of our identity – which is rooted in the love of God. When we are secure in God’s love we are protected, for He has the perfect plan and is working for our good – revealed as we trust in Him.

Related Post: Resilient Faith

Prayer for Resilience

I pray, Father God, for the wisdom to make wise choices, which You have promised to give freely when we ask. Help me to bloom where You have planted me, to be rooted in Your love, revealed through Jesus Christ, and to trust in Your goodness, always. Amen.