My friend reminded me this morning of a beautiful principle of living with flair: thriving in poor conditions. She showed me a picture of her morning glories that “only bloom when not well-watered or fertilized.” I immediately remembered my orchids which seem to “thrive on neglect.” I also thought of my daughter’s wise words about having sad days and how “some plants grow best in shade.”
If we’re in a hard place and one where we feel deprived of what seems logical that we might need, perhaps it’s because God knows how we’ll best grow. In order to bloom, we might just need a particular form of deprivation. I always think this happens, like Paul says, so we might fully rely on God and not ourselves (2 Corinthians 1:9). It seems unloving and counterintuitive, but I’m learning to trust the Master Gardener.