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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Bloom & Die


"The growth of all living green things wonderfully represents the process of receiving and relinquishing, gaining and losing, living and dying.
The seed falls to the ground, dies as the new shoot springs up.
There must be a splitting and breaking in order for a new bud to form.
The bud "lets go" when the flower forms. The calyx lets go of the flower.
The petals must curl up and die in order for the fruit to form.
The fruit falls, splits, relinquishes the seed.
The seed falls to the ground...

The more you perceive God's purposes in your life,
the less terrible will the losses seem."

--Elizabeth Elliot--


I always find it quite terrible when something I've hoped for doesn't happen. Even at times more terrible when it does happen but happens at the wrong time, or the right time. It takes me back to analogies such as this one. Things must die in order for new things to grow. Things must die in order for great and beautiful things to bloom. And still with this truth, the pain is there. This letting go of the comfortable to make room for the unknown will most likely never get easier for me. Maybe it will-- maybe one day I'll achieve a place of such high spirituality and closeness with Christ that all earthly losses will be meaningless. (I confess that was written with slight sarcasm).
This is certain: I will continue to accept everything I experience in this life as an opportunity to trust Him more and trust my judgments less, to hold His hand tighter and follow closer.

It seemed a beautiful flower was growing, but now it seems it was only making way for the fruit. The growth process continues.


1 comment:

TashaNicole said...

"It is happy to love even if you are not loved in return. There is pain too, certainly, but Love does not think that very significant." (from Hinds Feet on High Places)

Knowing that pain is around each corner is something to be embraced rather than feared. Growth hurts. Love hurts. And I truly do not think our King takes much note of how uncomfortable we are, He only sees our seeds of growth and that our love for Him is deepening. Thank you for this beautiful and eloquent reminder.