By: Donna Bucher
An unusual plant came into my life during a time of adversity.
A few dear colleagues gave me a beautiful dish plant garden when my precious
granddaughter, Indigo Evangeline was stillborn on January 11, 2016.
I kept the plant in my office as a reminder of their love and
support for me. Truly a lovely garden containing three plants; a Boston Fern,
an African Violet and a Peace Lily. For anyone who knows anything about plants,
while all lovely plants, they were never meant to share a home with one
another.
Yet they happily co-habited for many years! Then the
overcrowding took its toll. Knowing I must separate the plants into individual
pots or lose all three, I still put off the task.
My hesitation stemmed from my past experience re-potting
plants. Rarely successful, I feared losing these plants; the symbolism of the
occasion meant too much to me.
Finally working up enough courage, I brought the plant garden
home and took a chance.
After re-potting all three plants, I took two of them back to
my office. The Boston Fern initially looked a bit unhappy, but immediately
perked up after about a week and has since tripled in size. The Peace Lily
initially looked great, but within two or three days began a downhill slide.
Almost every leaf
turned brown or had brown spots. It looked wilted and despite everything I
tried, seemed destined for demise.
I held out hope with time, the plant might turn the corner. Softening
the soil, careful watering, and proper light contributed to a complete
transformation over several months.
TWO
JOURNEYS THROUGH ADVERSITY
As I observe my Peace Lily now, I marvel at its health and
beauty. While the plant may not be so unique, its journey to wellness drew a
few parallels in our joint journeys through adversity.
The following truths are a few of the parallels found in my
musings over lessons in adversity from a dying plant. Although simplistic, they
offer a profound impact when viewed through Romans 8:35-39
“Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or
persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Romans 8:35
Adversity is often unexpected. Neither
the Peace Lily nor I expected the adversity we faced.
Adversity makes us uncomfortable. Though crowded
with the other plants, the Peace Lily grew comfortable; "uprooting"
it brought uncomfortable surroundings. The death of my granddaughter brought
pain, confusion: upheaval.
Adversity brings change. For the Peace Lily once
uprooted and re-potted, things had changed. For me, the stark reminder hit
home: Death always changes a life.
Adversity may bring suffering. For the
Peace Lily, the process of re-potting resulted in the loss of vitality and many
leaves. I experienced not only the loss of my precious granddaughter, but the
loss of an expected future, current joy, and my own vibrancy for life.
Adversity leaves scars. Just like my Peace Lily still has
leaves scarred by brown spots, I carry the scars of adversity.
Adversity requires compassion. Requiring
more than the cursory care of every day houseplants, the peace lily required
the intentional attention to small details for nourishing and strengthening in
time of weakness. Likewise, I needed self- compassion, and attention to good
self-care, to weather my grief.
The scars of adversity speak of hardship, brokenness, pain.
But they also demonstrate courage, perseverance and healing.
“No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved us. For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither
the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:37-39
My journey through adversity taught me while adversity brings
hardship and change, it also brings new life. Adversity forces us to move from
a place of stagnation to a place of personal growth. Truly God showed me the
way to peace in adversity was through acceptance and trust in His perfect plan
while resting in His unfailing love.
What is most diffcult for you when journeying through adversity?
Find more encouragement and FREE Resources at Serenity in Suffering!
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Donna, it is amazing the truths which came from having to transplant these various ones. This >> "The scars of adversity speak of hardship, brokenness, pain. But they also demonstrate courage, perseverance and healing." Amen. When I think back over my life and view my "scars", they do not hurt any longer but remind me of the grace, mercy, and faithfulness of our God.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, you are so right, with time most scars no longer hurt, but they still speak of God's grace and mercy in times of adversity!
ReplyDeleteWhen journeying through adversity my biggest challenge is keeping my focus on where it needs to be... trusting HIM and not in my own plans.
ReplyDeleteGood article,my friend.
You know, that is my biggest challenge too! I get so focused on my desired outcome or finding a "way out", I miss the comfort and intimacy of His Presence. Sometimes it can be a step by step process of re-centering and asking Him to be my vision. Thank you for sharing your struggle!
ReplyDelete