Spiritual Growth Through Flower Gardening

Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.” –Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

Come explore a spiritual journey through flower gardening, where beautiful blossoms mirror faith, hope and personal growth.

During some seasons, gorgeous full blooms appear as promises fulfilled.

Other times, I am discouraged because what I expect to flower turns out to be unfruitful – just an empty bud.

But always – God is faithful!

The Growing Season

 

Let me tell you about my favorite hibiscus and a time my walk with the Lord was challenged.

At the start of the growing phase, I am very enthusiastic.

I look forward to taking my annual, spring trek to the Amish country in Pennsylvania where I buy my annuals.

During the last week of April, the floral leaves of my plants are a glossy green, declaring their health and vitality.

Gentle May showers keep the potting soil moist. Tiny flowers are in their infancy, but promising to eagerly burst forth.

 

Fall Daze

 

With morning coffee in hand, my favorite thing to do is to scan the yard, surveying the landscape, looking for which plump flowers are attracting the most butterflies.

On this mid-September day, as summer was coming to an end, my eyes gazed at the myriad of colors in the plant containers and those growing wild. My heart was full. 

They displayed my favorites:  hot pink mande vine, the orange popcorn plants, soft-yellow, hawaiian hibiscus, violet-colored bacopas, fuscia-colored geraniums, off-white petunias,  fire-colored celosia, purple- globe amaranths, light-pink zinnias, delicate blue Angelonias, and multi-colored portulaca.

 

 

 

 

“God is certainty not color-blind,” I thought to myself, beaming with gratitude, yet quickly feeling conflicted as I noted the obvious.

The time of growing was coming to a close and  the plants were looking tired.

It was the end of summer and most flowers were pot-bound.

“Where did the season go,” I thought to myself, adding a sigh, “You bat an eye, and its over!”

My happy tune quickly converted to lamenting. On my to-do list, I would  have to thin the floral crop.

Despite being prepared to throw away the weary, scrawny-legged plants, I was a bit remorseful to part with beauties that still were full of vigor.

Most specifically, I  applauded my tropical “sugar tip” pink hibiscus for out-performing itself.

For three months of the dry, hot summer, it had more than delivered a plethora of flowers – some as large as nine inches.

The  hummingbirds visited her often!

I re-assured myself that pruning back this hardy hibiscus wouldn’t be all that bad since it would get a second chance to thrive; it would go with me to Florida for the winter and continue to bloom – tolerant of the panhandles’ clay dirt.

 

Pruning And Spiritual Growth

 

 

As I began the chore of  trimming back my sweet “midnight marvel,” I bemoaned at what I discovered.

As I cut the foliage down to the roots, I detected a curious sight.

Alongside other flowers ready to pop, I discovered an unwelcome and unforeseen twin: an empty hibiscus bud.

It was like an empty shell – housing absolutely nothing inside. 

As I did some research, I realized this phenomenon is what the horticultural experts call “bud drop.”

The lack of budding florets is a sign of plant stress:  inconsistent watering, too little (or too much) sunlight and/or nutrient imbalances.

Feeling a bit guilty, I mused to myself, “I did try to water consistently at the same time every day,  but I obviously could not control the extreme seasonal temperatures.”

“No,” I concluded,  “I  didn’t added extra fertilizer, nor did I treat for pests on the plant”  – as per the recommendations.

My heightened level of self-defensiveness did not prepare me for the sting of remorse I felt over the lost promise of natures’ unfulfilled resplendence.

 

Unfulfilled Promises

 

Pausing in dismay, I reckoned to myself, “these empty hibiscus shells remind me of the lost potential.”

This lack luster performance somehow reminded me of my personal journey with God and unfulfilled, spiritual longings. 

Spiritual growth inspired by flower gardening was again highlighted for  me.

Specifically, this unwelcome sight of unoccupied buds made me recall the pitfalls in my faith journey as I waited on God to heal my marriage of twenty-four years.

“New Beginning: The Best is yet to come.” I saw this message on billboards, I heard it on the radio. I felt God was offering me hope.

This encouraging theme seemed to multiply everywhere I looked, but nothing was changing in the natural to prove God was on the move!

Disappointed. Saddened. Upset. Let down, disheartened, dispirited, discouraged, dismayed, disillusioned and discontented.

These are just a few of the emotions that I struggled with during times when my soul was glum.

Tossed to and fro, I inquired of the Lord in conversational prayer, “How could I have misheard you when I received so many confirmations promising a healed marriage and better tomorrow,” 

This dialogue between God and I continued for ten years or more.

At the minimum, on good days, I felt thwarted.

On more difficult days, I struggled with depression – feeling God had forsaken me.                            

 I was  heartbroken.

 

Hope Deferred

 

Has anybody else get stuck on the first part of this verse, When hopes are delayed, the heart can become sick…

I cannot even try to count how many times I cried out to the Lord to “minister to my heart sickness.”

It goes without saying that when  our hopes and/or expectations are somehow prevented from being realized, we are dashed.  

Like clouds without rain I felt like the woman who was dealing with waterless clouds.

I  was waiting for the divine promise of marriage reconciliation, but my hope plummeted.

My hope was squashed, my heart was crushed.

For far, few days could I grasp the later truth promised in Proverbs 13:12: “The desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

 I wanted God to be found “true” in giving me that life-giving tree, and not a liar as the enemy was accusing.

 

Refreshing Rain

 

The imagery  of spiritual rain continued to uplifted me. It represented hope, nourishment and God’s provision of promise saying,  “if the clouds are full, they empty rain on the land.” 

I longed for full clouds bringing refreshment, hope and  the fulfillment of God’s promises and blessings.  

When it didn’t happen, year after year, I thought, “I know I heard you correctly, Father. You impressed upon me to stand on the word that “the two shall become one again, so what is going on?!.”

With confusion, my mind gyrated. Is it human disobedience or misunderstanding?  Or, is it an instance of God’s failure to keep his word? 

I pondered the conundrum that  Joseph had to deal with in the Psalms.

I theorize that the man of God, finding himself in prison (and not in the palace as per his prophetic promise) could also have been baffled, like me.

Somehow, this biblical witness brought me comfort.

 

Stay The Course

 

Month after month, I continued to grapple with finding my center. I was faithless so many times, yet God was faithful.

When my husband finally filed for divorce. I reluctantly signed the papers – still believing that our story would  declare a welcomed narrative.

Like a newspaper headline I still  anticipated my chronicle would read: “Healed marriage ends in a second wedding, celebrating God’s miraculous intervention and divine reversal.”

Was it fanciful thinking? Was it false hope. I am not exactly sure, but my distorted thoughts and beliefs certainly kept me going around the wringer of confusion.

 Regardless of whether I heard God incorrectly or not, of one thing  I was sure: God is faithful and His faithfulness surrounds Him.

Other scripture declared this truth as well. “What God has spoken, will He not do it?”

The component I hadn’t considered was my ex-husband’s self-will.

Mankind is given free choice and God will never impose His will over another.

I sought the Lord  on behalf of my ex-husband and beseeched God to, “ help him want to return to the wife of his youth,” yet this aspiration was not answered.

 

Wisdom Granted

 

Of course, in life, no valley is without gleaning something powerful.

The greatest lesson I learned is that when all human hope is dissipated, Jesus is the living hope: nothing can extinguish His supernatural rescue He provides.

Romans 8:24 touts, “For we are saved through hope, but hope that is seen is not hope, for why does a man still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

When the divorce was final, I encouraged myself with this: “ I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait on the Lord.”

With every fiber of my being, I knew God had something good in store for me. I truly believed I would get my “suddenly.”

As I waited on the Lord,  I did not faint. Instead my resolve was strengthened that my new beginning was forthcoming. 

To reiterate the psalmist in Psalm 130: 5-6 “I  wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope.  My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch  for the morning.”

And with a blink of an eye, and before three years was up ,at age 55,  I was married again. Note: Five speaks of grace.

Promise Fulfilled

 

 

The best is yet to come!

Indeed, I finally got my “new beginning!”  It was in God’s perfect timing.

As of June 2026,  husband number two and I will celebrate eleven years of  happy togetherness.

So, Be encouraged. Hold on to that Living Faith found in Jesus.

Delight yourself in the Lord, he will give you the desires of your heart.

God delivers on his promises.  “They are “Yes” and in Him “Amen,” to the glory of God through us.”