This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon:
“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 to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there, do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper.”  Jeremiah 29:4-7 HCSB

You often see t-shirts, wall hangings and other items that say “Bloom Where You Are Planted” on them. If you google the term, it will give you numerous Bible verses that support this idea. But the one that came to mind when I first saw it was Jeremiah 29:4-7. Now one of my favorite verses is just four verses down. It’s Jeremiah 29:11 and it says, “For I know the plans I have for you”-this is the LORD’s declaration-“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” As I was shopping for Christian graduation gifts, I saw many emblazoned with this verse. I actually ended up buying gifts with this verse. This verse is very uplifting. This is the prophet Jeremiah telling God’s people that God has good things planned for them. He has plans for their welfare, not for disaster. He has plans to give them a future and a hope. But we must understand where they are when they are hearing these words. They have been taken into captivity in Babylon. Things aren’t looking so good for them when Jeremiah is telling them these things.

These Israelites were taken into captivity because of their repeated disobedience to the LORD (2 Chronicles 36:14-21). In 2 Chronicles 36:15 it says that God had compassion on them even though they were disobedient. He sent messengers to them time and time again to encourage them to obey Him. But they refused. Verse 16 says they ridiculed God’s messengers, despised His word, and scoffed at His prophets until God was so angry at them there was no remedy. They were taken into captivity.

So, in Jeremiah 29 they are in captivity which was brought on by their rebellion. But still there is hope with God. Jeremiah is telling them that the LORD is telling them to just bloom where they are planted. Go on about their lives and build houses and marry and have children and do all the things they would do if they were home in Jerusalem. He tells them the LORD has good plans for them. But in Jeremiah 29:13 we see the key to success. It says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. “I will be found by you”-this is the LORD’s declaration-“and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you.”-this is the LORD’s declaration.

Growing up on a farm I learned at an early age than animal manure made great fertilizer. When you feel as though you are standing in a pile of it know that you are about to grow and grow big time. God doesn’t promise us a rose garden. There will be times we will wade through the manure, but these are the times we will grow if we choose to. We must choose to use the hard times to grow. We must choose to bloom where God has planted us.

How do we do this? Well, I’m glad you asked. We do just as Jeremiah told these exiles to do. Seek the LORD with all your heart. Forsake anything that goes against what God wants for you. Let go of any sin in your life. Give it all over to God and trust in Him. My pastor uses an acronym for faith which is forsaking all I trust in Him. Let go of everything that does not honor God in your life. Trust in Him completely. Seek Him with your whole heart.

Or you could just remain captive to your sin, anger, foul language, bitterness, slander and malice (Ephesians 4:26-32). Break forth from the seed and bloom, bloom big. Bloom with beautiful blooms. This is what God wants for you. God wants us to have the best, but we must let go of everything else. We must seek Him and search for Him with all our hearts. We must love Him wholeheartedly and forsake the things of this world.

You are where you are for a reason. Bloom there or die out, the choice is yours.

Have a great day!