Mark and I turned the corner in downtown Westfield on our way to a restaurant when it caught my eye. In  a skinny crack of the sidewalk amidst a sea of concrete bloomed a velvety fuchsia petunia. Beauty stood out in the midst of the sparse environment.

Now I love flowers. Whether it’s a beautifully tended garden, a colorful display of potted flowers, vining plants creeping up a trellis, or a wild riot of wildflowers, I’m always looking, smelling, touching, admiring. But I didn’t expect to see one here.

And I realized that’s what life should be like.

We spend too much time waiting for the perfect setting before we bloom. We think when I have….when I get…then I’ll really do what I’m supposed to do. I’m always waiting for something to happen before I take action.

• An updated house worthy of HGTV before I invite the neighbors over.
• A promotion at my job before I start giving to charity.
• A visible position at church before I start volunteering.
• A perfect family before I let anyone get close.

We’ve got it all wrong.

When we live in the cracks and broken places of life and bloom there for Jesus, our fragrance of him beautifies and permeates the neighborhood.

We are where we are for a reason. It’s time that we become like the fuchsia petunia and bloom right in the midst of the cracks of our lives. It’s then that we’ll see our true beauty, our true purpose emerge, as Jesus transforms us and those around us.

Are you putting off blooming today because you’re waiting for the next best thing to happen? Take your struggle to Jesus and ask Him to help you start living now.

Pedaling down the Monon Trail, I breathed in the fresh air. Soft rays of shine danced on my head, dappled by the many trees around me. The lower edge of the forest was reawakening into a soft, fuzzy green, but above the bare trees danced in the wind, most still waiting for their spring clothing.

Finally, a day worthy of being called spring. My sister and I flew along the path but quickly braked when a splash of pink caught my eye: a magnolia tree just about to burst into full bloom! Already a few anxious blossoms were opening to the sun.

I just can’t wait for the flowering trees to bloom I thought. I’m ready to be done with the color gray. My impatience for color, warmth, sun, flowers, and life was growing.

 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

The words from Ecclesiastes 3:1 nudged into my mind. God was reminding me that you can’t rush the seasons; you can’t rush Him. Trees and flowers need nutrients and the time it takes to absorb warmth to bloom.

“And so do you,” the Spirit whispered to my soul.

I pondered that timely thought. The last few months of my life have been busy with a new venture. I am getting impatient to get past the preparations into the launch. He was reminding me to not rush ahead, to absorb the “nutrients” I need for a full bloom.

Maybe you’re there too. There’s something you’ve been looking forward to, working toward, and it’s just about there. You’re ready to burst. It’s tempting to just jump in, but taking the time to grow a healthy blossom is important. Otherwise, this new thing may turn out like flowers lured into opening prematurely by the excitement of early warm weather  — with their frozen blossoms stricken on the vine.

Make sure that the bud of your idea is bursting with nutrients. Pray, study, work, save, read, consult, talk — do all the things necessary so that God can coax you into full bloom in His time.