Sounds cliché, right? But there is truth to this statement. Just like the changing of seasons, it's all for a reason. We need spring showers to bring sustaining life for the hot summers. We need the dormancy of winter to allow a time of rest and rejuvenation for the plants and trees to be more fruitful in the spring. Today let’s take a look at what it is to be on the other side of a season that just didn’t seem to make sense at the time of going through it.
I’ve been married once before. When I married my first husband, I never thought that I would be divorced. But it was within that marriage and through the foundation of his family spiritual heritage, that I was introduced to the love of the Lord and later becoming a Christ follower myself. So, it wasn’t all for not. I’ve happily remarried since and my darling husband and I are both leaders in our church and serving the Lord together. Nothing just happens.
Let us look at the process of pruning roses. Why would anyone want to cut off a beautiful bloom? It would be one of two reasons: 1.) To display the rose within the home or 2.) According to Wiki-How, “when a rose is spent, or has completed its bloom and is beginning to wilt, it should be removed." This process is known as “deadheading” and is done to keep roses looking attractive and encourages more blooms.”
Some things in our lives are removed so that we can be encouraged to produce more than what we thought we were capable of. We weren’t meant to be singular blooms, but as encouragers for more blooms to come! Your story of being pruned should be of encouragement for others as you come out more attractive and productive. Nothing just happens.
Let’s have a Rose-101 session. Did you know that roses have healing properties? Rose oil not only smells beautiful but it’s wonderful for hydrating and healing your skin! The process of making rose oil requires the petals of the roses to be lightly bruised and placed in an unscented oil. They are later removed and replaced amongst freshly bruised petals to increase the intensity of the oil. Are you following the image being produced here? I’m not condoning physical abuse, so stay with me. Yes, you have been bruised by life but as you are anointed with God’s healing oil, he removes you and places you amongst freshly bruised individuals so that HIS anointing in your life is intensified! 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 ESV says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
Nothing just happens. Bloom!