Choose to Bloom

Most of us have heard the expression, “Bloom where you’re planted.” It is an optimistic idea and gives us a little boost of confidence when we think on it.  But what if where you’re planted is hard? You’re in a difficult time filled with tremendous pain, loss, hurt, so much confusion, so many battles, and you can’t bear the weight of your armor anymore. How can you possibly bloom when you are suffering?

Like the good Father he is, God has actually given us an answer. Let’s take a closer look at the life of Joseph.

Joseph was a boy who knew pain. He experienced loss. He was hurt physically and emotionally. He was confused and faced huge battles. But he did not give up his spiritual armor. He bloomed wherever God planted him, whether it was hundreds of miles from his home as a slave or during years spent in prison after being falsely accused.

First, imagine this. In walks a handsome young man wearing a beautiful, colorful coat. He tells you of his dream from God that he will someday be a ruler over his eleven brothers and his dad. He has high hopes for his future, that’s for sure! His dad loves him (and makes sure everyone knows it) and treats him as a favorite son. Life is good. His childhood is warm and safe.

Then imagine he’s getting ready to journey fifty miles (no car) to check on his brothers as they pasture. He says an optimistic goodbye to his dad, makes the fifty-mile trek but finds that his brothers have moved to a different location, thirteen more miles away. No worries. He finally gets to the hill they are on, and he’s overjoyed to have found them. His journey is over. His heart is glad.

In the blink of an eye, his easygoing life is stolen away from him.

Out of nowhere, he’s seized by his brothers, his beautiful coat is torn off him, he’s thrown into a pit and brutally mistreated, and agony sets in. His brothers are right there, listening to his cries for mercy, but they ignore him and sit down to eat lunch. He’s confused, thrown off-guard, and totally rejected. As he’s wondering how he can escape, his brothers lift him out, but not to give him his freedom. He’s sold as a slave for less than what a slave is typically worth. He’s sent away with strangers, traveling without knowing where he’s going or what will become of his life; he has no way to reach his dad and tell him what has happened.

And yet.

As a slave in Potiphar’s house, Joseph blooms. We read, “The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man . . . His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had” (Gen. 39: 2-3 NASB).

Does this sound like a man who was defeated by grief and despair over his circumstances? Like someone who had given up hope and turned his face from God? To me, Joseph would have needed a good attitude and a grateful heart to be able to succeed. God plucked him from his familiar home and planted him in Potiphar’s house. He worked hard and accepted his circumstances, and he bloomed. After years of service, this life started to seem more normal, I bet. But then tragedy strikes again, and Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him. Joseph’s faith is strong and he does not wish to sin against God, so he flees from her. Feeling rejected, she falsely accuses him, and he is thrown into jail. He has now gone from slave to prisoner.

Joseph again has been rejected by everyone and placed where he has no communication with the outside world, no freedom, and no fun. The dreams he had as a child? Maybe long forgotten. He hasn’t seen or spoken to his family in years; there is no one to visit him in his jail cell. And he has done nothing to deserve this life.

Does he give up hope, though? Does he think, “That’s it. I’m done trying. I’m through with my faith and crying out to God. If this is what happens to me, then I’m not having anything to do with it anymore”?

Genesis 39 continues, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison…And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed” (Gen. 39:21-23).

Joseph blooms, even in prison.

My favorite part of these verses is that the LORD showed him steadfast love. I usually think of God’s love as times when things are good, going the way I’ve prayed they would, with lots of smiles and sunshine and happiness. That’s what love feels like to me. But Joseph is loved by a God who is keeping him in prison. God sees him going through these times of suffering, and out of love keeps him where he is. Joseph obviously understands this enough to keep his head up and bloom.

What an inspirational story. This is victory. This is despair defeated, grief overcome, pride stripped and humility gladly embraced. Joseph could have begged to be sent home, or been angry and bitter about his treatment in life. He could have lashed out at his masters or his jailer. He could have tried so many things to avenge himself and seek justice. Yet he embraces what God has given him and decides to seize the day. He chooses to bloom instead of wither.

I need to be more like Joseph. I need to feel less sorry for myself when trials strike. I need to stop feeling like I am the only one who is suffering. And I need to be more forgiving.

What about you? Has God planted you somewhere you never expected, somewhere you think is unfair? Have you been crying out to him to rescue you and finding yourself sitting in a pit of despair? How can you strengthen yourself to lift your head up and start making choices that will help you bloom?

We later learn that Joseph becomes the overseer of all of Egypt, just one step below Pharoah. His childhood dreams really did come true! But the path to receiving them was less than ideal. Because of his faithful endurance and God’s grace, Joseph is reunited with his brothers and father, and he forgives them. The healing begins. And he does end up living happily ever after as a wealthy man. What an example of choosing to bloom, even when life’s circumstances tell you to give up.

Audrey Osborn loves sunshine, quiet mornings, half-caf coffee, cute kitties, and anything crafty. You can find her crafts on Etsy @TheLittleOsbornShop. She and her husband live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where they are excited to be pursuing foster care with the hope of bringing love to kids in need.

Photograph © Nikola Johnny Mirkovic, used with permission