"Bloom Where You Are Planted”
May 2025
There’s a French Proverb that says, “Bloom where you’re planted.” In other words, grow where God puts you. The prophet Jeremiah paints a beautiful picture of words to describe people who lead fruitful lives and produce in every season.
“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.
Jeremiah describes for us the character and extent of Judah’s sin against God. He starts with a figure that emphasizes the hardness and strength of Judah’s rebellion against God. Their sins were engraved deeply upon them, as if written with an iron pen and with the point of a diamond. There was nothing superficial about their sinful state. We see a contrast between a life of faithfulness to God and a life that trusts only in human strength and ability.
The prophet Jeremiah symbolizes the vitality and resilience of a person who trusts God. Such a person is not affected by external circumstances (“does not fear when heat comes”), maintaining vitality (“its leaves are always green”) even in challenging times (“no worries in a year of drought”).
We honor mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and other special people who have withstood the vicissitudes of life because they have put down deep roots in God’s word and promises. As a result, they have become a living example for others as they bear fruit in due season.
In life, we often find ourselves in situations we didn’t choose or places we didn’t plan to be. We may feel that if only we were somewhere else, we’d be able to grow and flourish. But God often calls us to bloom where we are planted, to find purpose and contentment right where He’s placed us. This concept is deeply rooted in the Bible, with verses encouraging resilience, trust, and faithfulness regardless of circumstances.
Remember, God has planted you where you are that you might be a blessing. He wants you to take deep root. He wants you to bear rich fruit. And if you draw upon His spiritual power, He will enable you to be a blessing. There will be seasons of plenty, seasons of storms, seasons of pain and suffering, seasons of sickness, and everything else life can throw at you. But the one who is planted by the water will continue to remain fruitful and without anxiety. Bloom where you are planted and bear fruit to the glory of God and the enrichment of others.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Loreno R. Flemmings
