I recently heard my cactus say, “It happened all of the sudden I was being ripped from my cute little, comfortable home. I was tenderly picked up and placed in this big (pretty) place that had fresh dirt, but the walls weren’t carefully surrounding me any more. I felt all alone and unsafe in this new place. I had been really comfortable in my hexagonal 2” pot on the windowsill. Why? Why did my owner have to take me away from my comfy home? Why can’t I fit on the windowsill anymore? Why has all this change happened?”

“Wait! What’s happening? I can stretch.  I can breathe. Ow! Something strange is happening that hasn’t happened in 2 years – oh look … I have … is it really? … I have a beautiful white blossom. I can show off something I’ve hidden deep within because I didn’t have the resources to be able to produce this intricate beauty.”

“I’m glad I surrendered to my caretaker’s hands. Maybe my discomfort was for my best and the caretaker knew what I needed.”

I have had this cute, little, fluffy cactus in a 2” pot for a couple of years.  It sits on my kitchen windowsill and enjoys the sunshine. My plan was to keep it on the windowsill where I could enjoy it. I vaguely remember it blooming once soon after I purchased it.

Well it was definitely outgrowing its pot, making it harder to water; so, transplanting it made the most sense.

A day or two later I checked to make sure it was handling transplant shock and was completely surprised to see a tiny, white, intricate blossom, and the cactus was actually spreading out and beginning to enjoy its new home.

How often am I just like that cactus – I’m happy and content where I am so I keep my lifestyle and environment the same. I take care of the necessities of life and basically just exist doing the same thing. However, in order to grow, God knows I need to struggle, change my “comfort zone”, and give me space to try knew things.

God’s word says – “Beloved, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

I know whenever I go through trials and I lean into what God has to teach me, my faith will grow stronger and I will “blossom” under His tender guidance and care.

Praying you will find a beautiful surprise from God whenever you face trials as well.

God’s blessings ~ Faye