The Hibiscus Lesson

I have to stay busy.  For me as a stay-at-home mom this sometimes means rearranging the house or digging up the yard.  One day in mid-Spring I noticed that the two hibiscus bushes in the front yard were crowding the flower bed.  Determined to fix the situation, I promptly found the shovel.  I dug the bushes out of the ground and replanted them in the sparse flower bed in the backyard.  I had no prior knowledge that hibiscus HATE to be relocated! After planting them, I watched as every leaf fell to the ground.  After two weeks of shedding their leaves, they appeared to be two shriveled twigs, stuck in the ground.  It was at this point in their ugliness I was tempted to admit defeat, pull them up, and put them in the trash--out of sight!  I have transplanted plants before with success and thought these would be no different. These were a FAIL! I decided to wait thinking that perhaps it was the shock of the move that made them react this way.  I put off pulling them up and gave them another two weeks of ugliness. Everyday I would resist the urge to give up on them.

It finally happened. All of a sudden a change took place. After the fourth week I noticed the stems of the plant were looking green.  There were no leaves or blossoms, but the bushes were showing signs of life.  Under their thin scaly bark there was evidence that there was still hope.  A month later, I felt like I had witnessed a miracle!  The hibiscus bushes were and still are blooming. Not only are they blooming, they have more blooms on their stems than any of the plants in the yard.  I was so glad I decided to give them more time.  If I had given up on them, the miracle would never have happened.  In life it is often the same way.  We get frustrated that life isn't working out according to our plans. We may pour love and time into relationships that seem dead. Sometimes life itself is one big disappointment to us.  However, if we remember that God is in control of our lives, we can have FAITH to believe that good can come out of our bleak, barren situations.  Don't give up!

Remember Habakkuk 3:17 KJV states "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hinds' feet and he will make me to walk upon mine high places..."

Just because we don't see the miracle right now doesn't mean it won't happen.  We need faith for every season of our lives.  Faith to endure. Faith to wait for the fruit of our prayers. Faith to know that God has us in the palm of His hand and that He won't let us go.  He will give us the desires of our heart in HIS season. Just like the hibiscus plant, when all seems lost, there will be a season of restoration. Life will bloom again.  --JJ