Tip of My Iceberg

There are some beautiful beaches by the Mediterranean Sea that look nothing like what I’m familiar with in America.

The Atlantic side of Florida has large beaches, odd things–think garbage and such–washed up on shore. And lots of people with lots of things accompanying them.

As we walked along a beach in southern Spain, we saw fewer people with fewer things.

And lots of rocks.

The rocky outcroppings looked almost like giant sculptures. Terraced and smooth in some places. Rough and random in others. Truly spectacular.

What was most amazing were the beautiful flowers growing right out of rock. Not a hint of dirt to be seen.

Those are my kind of flowers.

I have a knack for killing green things. Even using great soil, fertilizer and careful watering, my attempts at gardening often resemble an abandoned field in the midst of draught.

Dead and lifeless.

But here were flowers blooming joyously in rock. Under a blazing sun. Where the closest water source was of no help to them whatsoever.

You’ve gotta love those things in life that have that kind of resilience.

Me? I’m more the fragile greenhouse flower. I need some pampering. A little TLC.

Not that I always get it.  Who does? We may want things to work out for us in pleasant ways.To not suffer or be in pain or discomfort.

That isn’t life.Life is hard.

Not harder. You can’t grade hard life issues. We’re each dealing with things that challenge our ability to cope every day. If you’re not in a difficult life situation right now, give it a bit. It will come.

It’s like we’ve each been given a backpack full of life challenges we need to deal with. As much as I complain about how heavy mine is, gripe about how burdensome it feels, I’ll never want to switch it for someone else’s.

And no one wants mine.

How can I be like those flowers blooming in rock? Defying the reality of my circumstances and being more than a victim? More than a statistic?

I know that God is on this rock with me. He gives me the capacity to bloom.

When Israel–a picture of all of us–was struggling with the consequences of not following their God, He didn’t abandon them.

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the One who formed you says, ‘Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God…’”   Isaiah 43:1-3a

He paid the price for us so that we might not be destroyed by our life circumstances. That we might bloom in spite of them. In light of them.

Life will always be hard. But it can’t keep you from becoming what God intended you to be. If you trust Him.

How are you blooming?