Bloom where planted. Be mindful of becoming root-bound.
Bloom Where You’re Planted
Have you ever heard or seen the phrase, “Bloom where you’re planted?” I certainly have. In fact, I have a cute “chachki” on my desk that says “Bloom & Grow.” While only loosely based on scripture, I appreciate the sentiment the phrase conveys. It reminds us that we are to grow, bloom, and flourish everywhere God has called us to be – our church, our ministry, our geographical location and community, our jobs, etc. God puts us in these places to help us grow and mature in Him, in our character, and in our faith. I like to think of each one of those places as a pot God plants us in.
As we continue to yield to His work in us, inevitably our proverbial roots expand within each pot (and in Him). These roots grow deeper, bigger, and stronger to ensure our root system has enough capacity to sustain both the growth and the blooming happening. Roots also ensure that we have the means to reach the source of nourishment to withstand trials and tribulations that come. Jeremiah 17:8 NLT describes this so poetically:
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.
Our root system works to bring us into the fullness of our assignment in that specific place (pot) and helps ensure we bear fruit for the glory of God. In essence, we partner with God and we grow, bloom, mature, bear fruit, and fill the pot to capacity – even to overflowing:
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7 NLT)
What Does it Mean to be Root-bound?
Over time, though, our root system can start to intertwine, overlap, and tangle. This is because we start to outgrow the pot, and this can cause us to become root-bound. What does it mean to be root-bound? This is a great AI-generated definition:
A root-bound plant is a plant whose roots have grown too large for its container, causing the roots to become tangled and unable to absorb nutrients from the soil. This can lead to stunted growth or even starvation for the plant.
It looks something like this:
The Risks and Remedies for the Root-bound
I absolutely love how prophetic nature is and how it reveals so much about our walks with God! I know you’re smart, and I am sure you have already read between the lines, but let’s make the metaphor more personal and clear.
Risks
You’ll notice in the image above how this plant’s root system has become overgrown and has overtaken the pot. When we stay too long in a place, we run the risk of becoming spiritually root-bound. Yes, we absolutely can overstay our welcome in places God has planted us in. God knows when out time is up in those places, and He desires to draw us out of a particular place so we can go deeper in Him and allow Him to expand our capacity. However, we may choose to stay in that place out of fear, comfort/familiarity, idolatry, entitlement, comparison, etc.
Just as it says in the definition of “root-bound” above, the risks of overstaying are that we can stagnate, starve, and get stuck. We may have the sense that there is more for us, but we don’t want or know how to act on it or we simply choose not to act on it. We therefore run the risk of missing out on the more God has for us. We also run the risk of being disobedient, which creates a whole different set of spiritual challenges for us. Namely, unnecessary warfare, and that is because delayed obedience is disobedience.
Remedies
So, how can we escape the risks of being or becoming root-bound? Well, you’ll also notice in the image above how the plant was removed from its pot. This is because the main remedy for a root-bound plant is to be repotted / replanted into a larger pot.
And so it is with us. We have to pay attention to even the most subtle promptings in our spirits. Remember, God speaks in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12). Thankfully, though, when He wants to get our attention on something, He will keep bringing it up to us. So, when we sense that God is calling us to uproot and replant (i.e., calling us higher; calling us to more), we will want to pay attention and ultimately obey.
It is our obedience to the uprooting and replanting that relieves us from the “stuckness,” starvation, and stagnation and allows for further growth, maturity, and expansion in Him.
A Call to Action
I believe we are in a season of uprooting and replanting. God is moving and shifting many, and I believe this will continue more and more. I believe it is necessary for the harvest that is coming. He is separating the wheat from the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30).
It is a time like no other to pray and seek Him in order to know what and where He is calling each of us to. We also have to pray for others to do the same. We have to be discerning. We have to check our motives. We have to ask for wisdom. We need to seek wise counsel. We need to repent.
Selah.
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