Here are my reflections on this important message of “Flower and bear fruit wherever you are planted”:  During our life, we have often wanted it better than the Lord was giving us, so we stagnated where we were at, waiting for the Lord to change our situation or circumstance.  We had been unable to grasp the fact that the Lord had put us there for good reason as part of our journey in this life, and unknowing that He had been continually inspiring us to accept His Will.

Many years ago I was in my office looking out the window and saw many beautiful tall trees, and realized that the Lord was providing for each of them.  He gave them the sunshine and moisture they needed to survive, and they in-turn pointed majestically up toward Heaven giving Him praise and glory.  So if the Lord was providing for them so adequately, would we not expect Him to provide for His own children, created in His own image?

What an incredible thought to imagine that He will always provide for our needs during our life.  Does that mean we just have to surrender our life to Him, knowing that we can always count on His promise of covenant with His children?  St. Therese of Lisieux (the Little Flower) did:  She once said (paraphrased): It makes no difference if I have joy or suffering in my life, it’s only my relationship with Jesus that is important to me. So what was happening in her physically throughout her life was of no significance to her, and in her “little way” she offered everything every day to Jesus out of pure love.  I remember a friend Judy telling me that she visited her mother the day before she died, who had been suffering from excruciating painful bone cancer for a long time and refused to take any pain medication, but offered it all up to Jesus.  These are two examples of people who could bear great fruit where they were planted.

Are we capable of following in their footsteps?  Maybe only a few who have “conditioned” themselves through prayer and asking for the strengthening grace needed to endure previous hardships.  Most of us have not reached that level of total acceptance of being planted among the thorns, those difficult situations running through our lives, and bearing great fruit.  However, He sees and knows our lives and what we are capable of, and He is totally content on hearing our prayers and receiving the small fruits that we can offer Him.

So wherever He “plants” us at this time in our life, we are called to flower by desiring and accepting His Will as best we can, doing our best to honor Him.  He is totally patient with us, and gladly accepts whatever we do for Him out in the world.  What’s wonderful is that He gives us a future filled with awesome opportunities to offer Him glory and praise through our own “flowering” and “bearing fruit” for Him, doing His work out in the world.  Let’s pray and ask Him for those opportunities every day.  Starting today, let’s push ourselves to LIVE FOR JESUS and be His hands, His feet, His eyes, His voice, and especially His love to everyone we meet.  HE’S COUNTING ON US!