Sometimes we are in a place that is secure and wraps around us comfortably. We are satisfied in that place. We are growing and blooming and producing fruit. It seems like nothing will change or that nothing should change. But then a tiny seed of dissatisfaction pops up. The place that used to feel so comfortable and right feels a little tight now. It feels like it’s not quite enough anymore. The feeling at this point will either go away because it was just a bad day or it will continue to grow. This is a feeling that needs attention when it comes. They Holy Spirit is nudging you forward into the next thing He has for you. Have you ever transplanted a flower? You must squeeze and push on the container to loosen the roots. And then you grasp the main stem and gently move it from side to side loosening it up from the place that it’s so fond of and pull it out. When you pull it out you see that the roots have begun to grow all around the sides. The roots have outgrown the container. The plant may continue to grow and produce flowers but if those roots had more space and soil they would produce much more abundantly. The Gardener has already chosen another container to put the plant into. After He has pulled the plant out of the small container He must change the pattern of growth. It seems harsh to the plant that their roots must be ripped to untangle them so they are no longer bound together. The roots must be separated so they can grow in a healthy and productive way in their new soil.
When we are in transition, this is what our Gardener is doing. If we yield to the process, which takes trust in the Gardener, we will be placed in a more productive environment. There is pain involved in the transplant process. But there is also pain involved in staying in too small of a container.
“When our knowledge of God doesn’t lead us to a place of greater surrender, it leads us to greater frustration.”
If the gardener does not transplant the flower, it will continue to grow and the roots will remain in the circular pattern and will become less and less healthy.
“Trust means that what we have come to know to be true about God is greater than all the circumstantial evidence that denies it.”
Once the transplant has taken place it takes a while for the plant to get over the shock and begin to reach down into the soil for new growth. When I first come to a new place I have always experienced some doubt which makes me question whether this was a good move. But as I trust in my Gardener, and wait for the new roots to grow, I find myself having to rely more fully on Him and my faith grows.
The measure of trust that we live with becomes the most evident when things turn out differently than what we expected or prayed for.”
All quotes are from Bill Johnson’s book, God is Good.
