Serving

As I was working in my garden the other day , I got to thinking about a concept that I really messed up on recently. That concept is “blooming where you’re planted”. I was put into a situation where I could have jumped on several awesome opportunities and I didn’t. The Lord really convicted me about them and I wanted to share them so others can learn.

The Lord put me back in my parents’ home for about six months this past year. Back in my old church, back with old friends. I had the opportunity to serve again in my old ministries but yet I didn’t want to take advantage of that. In my thinking, I was no longer a member of the church so I wasn’t going to participate in the ministries there. I hung back and didn’t volunteer to sing in the choir or work in the nursery or anything! Two ministries that I really enjoyed while I was living at home before. As I got closer to the end of my six months at home the Lord really started working on my heart about “blooming where I am planted”, no matter how long I am planted there. I was missing out on one of my favorite things to do: serving others. Because of my selfishness, I was not being a good example to anyone around me. How did I expect God to use me when I wasn’t even willing? He really set me to thinking about life in the military. How often would we get stationed somewhere and wouldn’t know how long we would be there? Was I going to squander opportunities then too? Would I be one of those people that were always saying “Well, we won’t be here for long so I guess we can’t get involved”? I didn’t want to be!

Now, as I jump with both feet into the ministries of our new church, I want to always remember what the Lord taught me about being willing to serve and “bloom where I’m planted”. Paul was content in whatever place God put him in. (Philippians 4:11-12 (ESV): Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.) So why shouldn’t I be content that He has placed me in a certain spot to be a ministry to those around me? 

~Leah Borg