Thriving in Adversity: Bloom Where You're Planted

Summary

In our journey through life, we often find ourselves in situations that are less than ideal, much like the Israelites in exile in Babylon. Jeremiah 29:11 is a familiar scripture that speaks of God's plans for us, plans for welfare and hope. However, it's crucial to understand the context in which this promise was given. The Israelites were in exile due to their disobedience, yet God instructed them to build houses, plant gardens, and live their lives fully in Babylon. This message is a call to "bloom where you're planted," a phrase that, while not directly from the Bible, encapsulates a biblical principle of thriving in the place God has placed us.

The idea of blooming where you're planted can be understood in three ways: being fruitful, making the best of what you have, and doing what's right even when it's hard. This is not about staying stuck in a bad situation but about trusting God and being faithful where you are until He leads you elsewhere. The story of Isaac in Genesis 26 illustrates this beautifully. Despite a famine, Isaac stayed where God instructed him, planted crops, and reaped a hundredfold because of God's blessing. Similarly, Joseph's life shows us that even in slavery and imprisonment, God can elevate us when we operate in our anointing and trust Him.

Trusting God with our circumstances, whether good or bad, is essential. We are called to be like trees planted by streams of water, not fearing when heat comes, always bearing fruit. This trust begins with giving our lives to God, allowing Him to guide us and bless us in His timing. It's about being faithful in the small things, in the everyday tasks, and trusting that God will use our faithfulness to bring about His purposes.

Key Takeaways:

1. Bloom Where You're Planted: Embrace the place God has you in, even if it's not ideal. Like the Israelites in Babylon, we are called to build, plant, and live fully where we are, trusting that God has a purpose for us in that place. Our faithfulness in the present can lead to future blessings. [04:16]

2. Trust in God's Timing: Isaac's story in Genesis 26 teaches us the importance of staying where God has placed us and trusting His timing. Despite the famine, Isaac planted and reaped abundantly because he obeyed God's instructions. Trusting God means believing that He will provide and bless us in His perfect timing. [19:34]

3. Operate in Your Anointing: Joseph's life is a testament to the power of operating in your God-given gifts, even in adverse circumstances. Whether in slavery or prison, Joseph remained faithful to his calling, which eventually led to his elevation as Egypt's prime minister. Our anointing can flourish regardless of our situation. [26:58]

4. Faithfulness in the Small Things: Being faithful in the everyday tasks and responsibilities is crucial. God honors our faithfulness, and it is often through these small acts of obedience that He brings about His greater purposes. Our commitment to doing what God has called us to do, even when it's hard, is a testament to our trust in Him. [27:58]

5. Trust God with Your Life: The foundation of blooming where you're planted is trusting God with your life. This trust allows us to navigate both good and bad circumstances with confidence in God's plan. When we give our lives to God, we open ourselves to His guidance, blessings, and the fulfillment of His promises. [29:25]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:16] - Bloom Where You're Planted
[05:55] - Making the Best of Life
[08:22] - Doing What's Right
[09:43] - Setting Down Roots
[11:38] - Escapist Mentality
[14:24] - Making Disciples
[15:39] - Connection to the Land
[16:49] - Investing in Your Place
[18:04] - Blessing of Planting
[19:34] - Isaac's Obedience
[21:45] - Prosperity in Famine
[25:25] - Joseph's Journey
[26:58] - Operating in Anointing
[27:58] - Trusting in the Lord
[29:25] - Trusting God with Your Life
[31:06] - Invitation to Trust
[32:07] - Welcome to the Family
[33:16] - Giving and Generosity

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Jeremiah 29:4-7
2. Genesis 26:1-6, 12-14
3. Jeremiah 17:7-8

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Observation Questions:

1. What instructions did God give to the Israelites in exile according to Jeremiah 29:4-7? How does this relate to the idea of "bloom where you're planted"? [05:55]

2. In Genesis 26, what specific actions did Isaac take during the famine, and what was the result of his obedience? [19:34]

3. How does Jeremiah 17:7-8 describe the person who trusts in the Lord? What imagery is used to convey this message? [27:58]

4. According to the sermon, what are the three meanings of "bloom where you're planted"? [04:16]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the context of Jeremiah 29:4-7 challenge the common interpretation of Jeremiah 29:11? What does this reveal about God's expectations for His people in difficult situations? [05:55]

2. In what ways does Isaac's story in Genesis 26 illustrate the importance of trusting God's timing and instructions? How might this apply to modern-day believers? [19:34]

3. How does the imagery of a tree planted by water in Jeremiah 17:7-8 help us understand the benefits of trusting in God? What does this suggest about the nature of faith? [27:58]

4. The sermon mentions Joseph's journey from slavery to becoming a prime minister. How does Joseph's story demonstrate the power of operating in one's anointing despite adverse circumstances? [26:58]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a current situation in your life that feels less than ideal. How can you "bloom where you're planted" by being fruitful and making the best of what you have? [04:16]

2. Consider a time when you struggled with waiting for God's timing. How can Isaac's story encourage you to trust God's plan and timing in your own life? [19:34]

3. What are some practical ways you can deepen your trust in God, especially during challenging times? How can the imagery of a tree planted by water guide your actions? [27:58]

4. Think about your God-given gifts and talents. How can you operate in your anointing like Joseph, even when circumstances are not favorable? [26:58]

5. Identify a small task or responsibility in your life where you can demonstrate faithfulness. How can you commit to doing it with excellence, trusting that God will use it for His purposes? [27:58]

6. How can you cultivate a mindset of gratitude and contentment in your current circumstances, trusting that God has a purpose for you right where you are? [05:55]

7. Reflect on your relationship with God. What steps can you take to trust Him more fully with your life, and how might this change your perspective on your current situation? [29:25]

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Your Current Season
In life, we often find ourselves in situations that are less than ideal, much like the Israelites in exile in Babylon. Jeremiah 29:11 is a familiar scripture that speaks of God's plans for us, plans for welfare and hope. However, it's crucial to understand the context in which this promise was given. The Israelites were in exile due to their disobedience, yet God instructed them to build houses, plant gardens, and live their lives fully in Babylon. This message is a call to "bloom where you're planted," a phrase that, while not directly from the Bible, encapsulates a biblical principle of thriving in the place God has placed us. Embrace the place God has you in, even if it's not ideal. Like the Israelites in Babylon, we are called to build, plant, and live fully where we are, trusting that God has a purpose for us in that place. Our faithfulness in the present can lead to future blessings. [04:16]

Jeremiah 29:5-7 (ESV): "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

Reflection: What is one way you can actively invest in your current situation, trusting that God has a purpose for you there?

Day 2: Trust in Divine Timing
Isaac's story in Genesis 26 teaches us the importance of staying where God has placed us and trusting His timing. Despite the famine, Isaac planted and reaped abundantly because he obeyed God's instructions. Trusting God means believing that He will provide and bless us in His perfect timing. This trust is not passive but involves active obedience and faithfulness in the tasks God has given us. When we align ourselves with God's timing, we open ourselves to His blessings and provision, even in the most challenging circumstances. [19:34]

Genesis 26:12-14 (ESV): "And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him."

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you are struggling to trust God's timing? How can you practice patience and obedience in that area today?

Day 3: Flourish in Your God-Given Gifts
Joseph's life is a testament to the power of operating in your God-given gifts, even in adverse circumstances. Whether in slavery or prison, Joseph remained faithful to his calling, which eventually led to his elevation as Egypt's prime minister. Our anointing can flourish regardless of our situation. When we operate in our God-given gifts, we align ourselves with His purposes and open the door for His blessings and elevation. This requires faithfulness and trust in God's plan, even when the path is unclear. [26:58]

Genesis 39:21-23 (ESV): "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. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed."

Reflection: What is one gift or talent you have that you can use to serve others, even in difficult circumstances?

Day 4: Faithfulness in Everyday Tasks
Being faithful in the everyday tasks and responsibilities is crucial. God honors our faithfulness, and it is often through these small acts of obedience that He brings about His greater purposes. Our commitment to doing what God has called us to do, even when it's hard, is a testament to our trust in Him. This faithfulness is not about perfection but about a heart posture that seeks to honor God in all things. When we are faithful in the small things, we position ourselves for greater opportunities and blessings. [27:58]

Luke 16:10 (ESV): "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."

Reflection: What is one small task or responsibility you can commit to doing faithfully this week, trusting that God sees and honors your efforts?

Day 5: Surrender Your Life to God
The foundation of blooming where you're planted is trusting God with your life. This trust allows us to navigate both good and bad circumstances with confidence in God's plan. When we give our lives to God, we open ourselves to His guidance, blessings, and the fulfillment of His promises. Trusting God with our lives means surrendering our plans and desires to Him, believing that His ways are higher and better than ours. This surrender is a daily choice to follow Him and seek His will in all things. [29:25]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to surrender control to God? How can you take a step towards trusting Him more fully today?

Quotes

"All right, well, we started two weeks ago, we started a new series called Build, Plant, Live. And what I did was I took Jeremiah 29, 11, and we're so familiar, that's such a familiar passage of Scripture to us, because everybody, whenever they're feeling kind of low, loves to quote, for I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for welfare, not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. And we just take, I mean, we have, somebody gave us the housewarming gift, and it's a little plaque with this cross -stitch that Jeremiah 29, 11 is cross -stitched in it. There's mugs and all kinds of stuff. And then I've heard people say, well, we're taking it out of context, and it doesn't apply to us, just apply to the Israelites back then, and all this kind of stuff. So I thought, well, let's just... Let's just look and see. So I got to looking in the context, and it's odd, because what Jeremiah is doing is he is writing a prophecy. He's writing out a prophecy from God to those that are in exile in Babylon, those from Judah who are in exile in Babylon. And he's telling them, okay, y 'all, they're there for a reason. It's going to be 70 years." [00:00:09]

"day so uh that was a good one so we learned that we god wants them to to set up house he wants them to to plan for being there a while he wants them not to sit around uh waiting you know we we want to get out of situations sometimes we're in situations and they were in this situation because of their their disobedience to god because they were doing evil being evil in god's eyes and so god had sent them to exile babylonian king nebuchadnezzar taking them captive they were in exile they could do their normal live their normal way of life they weren't slaves so they could do their normal way of life but they couldn't do any of the the uh sacrifices or anything so they're the most scholars believe that this is when the synagogue synagogue system was started was while they were in exile because they couldn't do the sacrifices so they had to come up with prayers to replace the sacrifices so that's why they were in exile and so they were in exile and so they that's when the synagogue system came to be so anyway she did that and so this week i want to continue on with the b portion of that verse five and he said to plant gardens and eat their produce to plant gardens and eat their produce and so i want to talk on the subject of bloom where you're planted bloom where you're planted and i don't know if you've ever heard this before i've heard it all my life uh bloom where you're planted in fact i did uh i did a research because i wanted to find out how to plant a tree and i did a research because i wanted to find out how to if this was somewhere in the bible because i'd heard it so much well i found an article in christianity today by danielle bernard it says this bloom where you're planted in the bible its origin and meaning so she says the phrase bloom where you were planted gets thrown around a lot many think it's originated it's originated from the bible and others know that it's not that's not true the sentiment can be found in scripture but not the exact words an american graphic artist and illustrator made the famous" [00:01:55]

"Bloom, where you are planted, can mean various things depending on its usage. She goes on to say the three meanings of bloom, where you're planted. Number one, to be fruitful or blossom, become all you were created to be. Number two, make the best of what you have when life throws lemons at you. And number three, do what's right even when it's hard. So she began, number one, be fruitful. Now, St. Francis de Salis, he was the Bishop of Geneva at the time. He is quoted as saying, Truly, charity has no limit, for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by his spirit dwelling in each of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where he has planted and directed us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of his providence. So as you can see, it's not a direct quote, but the idiom carries the same meaning. So he said that." [00:04:27]

"Even in less than wonderful situations, we have control over how we respond. Respond, blooming where we are planted is to make the choice to respond in a positive manner in its agreement with another familiar phrase about making lemonade when life throws you lemons. So then she references our theme scriptures. When many Israelites were exiled to Babylon, they were in a less than wonderful situation, but God told them in a way to bloom where they were planted for that time. And I'm going to read Jeremiah 29, four through seven says, this is what the Lord Almighty God of Israel said. He says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, build houses and settle down, plant gardens and eat what they produce, marry and have sons and daughters, find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there, do not decrease. Also seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. Number three, third meeting. Do what? Doing what's right. Doing what's right when it's hard is hard." [00:06:04]

"We are to bloom where we are. My dad always said, Do what God told you to do last until he tells you to do something new. People say, I don't know what the will of God is. I don't know what the will of God is. Well, what was the last thing he told you to do? Do that. And do it well. That's the thing about it. When God tells you to do something, he expects us to do it with all of our might. He expects us to do it with all of our heart. We may not do it with all of our heart, may not be in an ideal situation, but I'm here to tell you when you're in a less than ideal situation and you bloom where you're planted, God will honor that. God honors our faithfulness even though situations get hard and things get tough. I'm trying to think of the book I read and it's a book." [00:08:50]

"However, what we ought to understand is when he's telling us here, when Jeremiah is writing the prophecy and God's telling those in exile to plant gardens, he's telling them, set down roots. You're going to be there 70 years. Some of you may not ever leave there because they were at a certain age that in 70 years, they'll be dead anyway. And some of them will just have been born and they'll come out of that older people. And some of them will be midlife. Some of them, you never know. And so God says, listen, I want you to set down roots. And so by telling them to plant gardens, he's telling them, you're going to stay a while. How many know when you plant something, you don't then leave the country for good?" [00:10:31]

"you can imagine with a name like prosper how it was called it was going to be very prosperous in fact that's where they did the name i did my senior paper senior thesis on where they got the name of the town but i understood that like wheat when they planted wheat that it takes seven to eight months for wheat to mature so when they plant wheat they don't then say okay i'm going to sell the property i'm just going to move along because they know that they've planted it and they've got to wait a while they're going to be there a while and there are things they've got to do in the meantime while that while that wheat's going growing up they've got to do that sort of stuff in fact uh when they planted cotton my brother worked my brother and friend of his worked for a farmer one summer in i believe it's 20th junior senior year or sophomore junior year i can't remember and uh they worked for a farmer and the farmer sent them out to hoe weeds and in the cotton one day several days they would go out there and he said we were listen closely he said we were six dollar and fifty cent an hour hoers anyway he thought that was funny i thought it was funny too but anyway so you have to tend that stuff you have to get the weeds out you have to take care of it plant when you plant a garden you got to tend it uh corn it takes 90 to 120 days before it ever germinates before you ever see anything come out of the ground it takes 90 to 120 days depending on the temperature of the soil so we're planting and god says look you need to put down roots you're going to be there a while don't sit around say man i'll be glad when we're out of here i'll be glad when we're out of here i mean i grew up with that in church all of our songs were we're just weary pilgrims we're just in this weary land we can't wait to get out of here we just can't wait to get out of here we can't wait to get out of here and all the time people are dying and going to hell and you're not doing your job because" [00:11:38]

"When we get saved, our job then is to reach out to those that are lost and bring in the sheaves. As an old hymn said, bringing in the sheaves. Jesus said, look, the harvest is ripe, it's plentiful. And many are called, but few are chosen. He said, listen, pray to the Lord of the harvest that he'll send harvesters. And so we have looked at life with this escapist mentality like, we just got to get out of here. And the thing is, we're going to get ourselves saved so we can go to heaven. We've got to get saved so we can go to heaven. And then we just focus on going to heaven. Well, the thing is, that's just the promise. When you're saved, you're going to heaven. You got the ticket. You're going. You're going. You don't have to try to go to heaven. You're going. But what you're supposed to do in between the time you get the ticket and then you leave this earth, is you're supposed to make disciples of nations. Jesus said in Acts chapter 1 verse 8, he says, you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses." [00:13:40]

"And one of the things I thought about, when you work in the soil, when you put your hands in the soil, growing up we had a garden, about a quarter of an acre garden that we had. And my dad, that's my dad's therapy. He would take a tiller and he'd get out there and he'd till that rascal. And he'd be out there and that's where he did his praying. That's where he did it. He loved it. He was out there and he would just be out there and he'd just do this right here. But he'd just pray it and he's working that garden. He loved that. I didn't love it that much. I loved the fruit, but I didn't love the work. But we had the garden. And the thing is, is when you work the soil, and when you strategize over it, and you toil over it, and you work all the stuff, you become connected to that land. You become connected to it. God is saying, listen, plant a garden. Become connected to where you are. Because when we're connected to something, we're going to invest in it." [00:15:11]

"There's a blessing for planting where you're planted. Genesis chapter 26, verses start at 1 through 6 and then 12 through 14, says a severe famine now struck the land as had happened before in Abram's time. So Isaac, this is Abraham's son, Isaac moved to Gerar, which where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived. So the Lord appeared to Isaac and said, do not go. Don't go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Don't go to Egypt, but do as I tell you. All right. So what we're going to do is we're going to count how many times God said, I will. So it goes on to say, live here as a foreigner in this land, and one, I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will to give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father," [00:18:36]

"Five is also God's kindness and favor to humanity. God said, I will. If you will, if you will stay where I put you, stay where you are. Don't run to Egypt like your daddy did. In fact, one of the places he said, your dad ran off to Egypt. And got himself in trouble. Don't go to Egypt like your daddy did. You stay right here and you do what I tell you. And he said, five times, I will. So grace was on him. So then we go on and it says, when Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain that he planted for the Lord blessed him. Listen, he was there because there was a famine. He was there because there was a famine. And he had to move to this place where it wasn't, it wasn't his land. However, God says, I'm going to give it to you. So he planted his crops in that year, harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted for the Lord blessed him. He became a very rich man and his wealth continued to grow. He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. So the people, he was living in their land and he became so prosperous, prosperous that they got jealous of him." [00:20:17]

"See, the thing is, is you are to be, and they were there because of a famine. They weren't, they didn't plan to move there. They were living where they thought they were supposed to live, but they moved to Goshen because of a famine, but they prospered where they were. God says, listen, doesn't matter where you are. It does not matter what situation you're in. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what circumstances are in your life. You will prosper if you will just obey my voice. If you will trust me and learn to lean on me and learn to do what I've asked you to do and follow my leading, I will bless you so much that people will begin to look at you and say, what's going on here? What's going on here? Isaac reaped a hundred times what he sowed in the middle of a famine." [00:22:05]

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Transcript

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