Bloom

 


So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2 (MSG)

I visited a different church Sunday and the pastor closed with the scripture above. I am familiar with this passage of scripture but not from The Message. As I followed along, I highlighted the reference so I could focus on it later. As I reread the passage again it occurred to me, the reason this scripture spoke to my heart is because it is the theme of my books! Bloom! Stop what you are doing—the daily grind—and focus on God.Often times we walk through life in a blur. Our daily lives become routine. You brush your teeth, grab your coffee, and drive to work. Routine is good, but look beyond your routine for the aspects of God. He is everywhere, every day. He is even with you in the dull daily routine. He doesn’t want your life to feel monotonous. He wants you to feel alive.

The next time you brush your teeth, thank God for the toothpaste on your brush. Thank Him for the job (whether you like it or not) which provides the money to purchase your toothpaste. Are you stuck in traffic? Take a look around. Do the other drivers look happy, sad, frustrated? Rather than post the traffic jam on social media, say a prayer for them as you patiently wait. Is there a long line at the coffee shop? Have some fun, pay it forward and purchase for the car behind you.

Rather than constantly asking God, “What do you want me to do?” Get involved where you are—BLOOM today. God isn’t waiting for you to go on a mission trip to Zimbabwe. He wants to use you at this current moment in your life and in your current circumstances. Include God in your day to day, routine, humdrum, life because, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones (Luke 16:10a).”

By all means have hopes and dreams to serve God in big ways. I believe He desires for us to grow and plan for the future, but He also expects us to accept our current situations and see Him in the small pieces of life.God wants you to be patient and focus on Him, so you will learn to bloom. Once you begin to see God the small parts of your life, you will find yourself able to Live Life in Full Bloom! When you live this way, when you understand God is with you all of the time: “You’ll be changed from the inside out.” You will begin to grow and serve in ways you can’t even imagine. Amen!

So where did you see God today throughout your humdrum routine day? I would love to here from you and how you saw God in a new light today!

Location: Radnor, OH

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