{"id":2471,"date":"2011-12-13T09:37:49","date_gmt":"2011-12-13T14:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspirationreport\/?p=2471"},"modified":"2011-12-13T09:37:49","modified_gmt":"2011-12-13T14:37:49","slug":"bloom-where-you%e2%80%99re-planted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2011\/12\/bloom-where-you%e2%80%99re-planted.html","title":{"rendered":"Bloom Where You\u2019re Planted"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s tough when you feel like you\u2019re stuck. Whether it\u2019s in traffic, an elevator or just in a rut, it\u2019s no fun. In fact, it can be downright stifling.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s especially difficult when you\u2019re trying to get out. I have a few friends who are in uncomfortable situations right now and, despite their best efforts to escape, they can\u2019t seem to make a move that isn\u2019t thwarted. It\u2019s not getting better as they hoped, and they\u2019re wondering, \u2018Okay, what do I do now? I\u2019ve tried everything.\u2019<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s you, then let me ask you this. Have you tried\u2026 staying put?<\/p>\n

I was reading this interesting passage from the Bible where God sent a message to a group of people who were in exile. These people would be stuck in Babylon for a really long time, much longer than they wanted to be. What did God charge them to do? It wasn\u2019t find an escape or fight against their enemies. Their mission was this: <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cBuild 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.\u201d [Jeremiah 29:5-7 NIV]<\/em><\/p>\n

In other words, bloom where you\u2019re planted.<\/p>\n

Life has a way of putting us in a holding pattern and there are a few different ways you can look at it. You can continue to frustrate yourself by cursing where you are and making escape plans that don\u2019t work. You can wallow in the dirt and mud and become bitter. Or, you can begin to till the ground where you are and see what you can grow.<\/p>\n

Now sometimes you need to move. It\u2019s time to go. The season is changing. You\u2019ve got to trust your gut when that feeling comes along. However, for the most part, a lot of life is staying put and being your best where you are.<\/p>\n

So I ask, where are you today? Are you in a place that it seems you can\u2019t get out of? Gather up your gardening tools. Cultivate life around you. You may find that the things you long for are right underneath your feet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s tough when you feel like you\u2019re stuck. Whether it\u2019s in traffic, an elevator or just in a rut, it\u2019s no fun. In fact, it can be downright stifling. It\u2019s especially difficult when you\u2019re trying to get out. I have a few friends who are in uncomfortable situations right now and, despite their best efforts…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":93,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9,4,20,6,26],"tags":[531,196,533,532,534,94],"class_list":["post-2471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-courage-and-strength","category-happier-you","category-inspiring-messages","category-something-to-think-about","category-thought-to-ponder","category-well-being","tag-bloom","tag-emotional-wellness","tag-grow","tag-plant","tag-stuck","tag-thought-life"],"yoast_head":"\nBloom Where You\u2019re Planted<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2011\/12\/bloom-where-you\u2019re-planted.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bloom Where You\u2019re Planted\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It\u2019s tough when you feel like you\u2019re stuck. 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