What’s Required for a Flower to Thrive

I heard a song the other day that inspired me to think about the trials we go through in life in a new way. Sometimes we may think all we want in life is sunshine, but we really need to rain to be complete people. Allow me to explain.

Flowers look beautiful in the sunshine, you can stop and smell the roses for as long as you like when it’s sunny.

But it’s almost obvious to remember that while that flower was growing it needed to be stuck out in the rain to thrive. It had to be around for the gloomy days.

If a flower only knows sunshine it will dry out, it won’t be beautiful anymore. That being said if a flower never sees the sun it won’t thrive either. 

Lastly, a flower has to stay grounded for a long time, otherwise, it won’t last long anyway.

My point in all this is that I think we have to adopt this attitude ourselves. Yes times of sunshine, and good times, are enjoyable, but our character is often also built during the rough times in life where we’re challenged, and confronted with obstacles, or when we experience frustrating or saddening moments. When we stay grounded we have a foundation of good growth; we have ideas to go back to, and firm ground to stand on in moments when we’re otherwise unsure or conflicted on how to react.

It’s not a perfect analogy but I believe it’s something that’s helpful to think of. When we trust God in the good times and bad and let Him shape us through that, we’ll end up better off.