A Time to Bloom

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven

New International Version (©1984)
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

New Living Translation (©2007)
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

These are different versions of one of my favorite Bible verses, Ecclesiastes 3:1.  I was reminded of this verse last Sunday at The Feast as I listened to Bo Sanchez's talk in PICC.  It was talk number 2 in the Guaranteed talk series and he was talking about finding solutions to our problems.  He said that we need to be patient and not take matters into our own hands when we should be seeking long-term and God-solutions to our problems.  He said that sometimes in our desire to solve our problems right away, we create bigger problems.  But when we choose to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding, we eventually find God-solutions to our problems.

This teaching and reminder at The Feast last Sunday was further reinforced by God to me through my orchid, which I named Pinky.  If you have been following my blog, you would know by now that our orchid unexpectedly bore flowers again.  It's the second time that it did in a span of one year.  (Click here and here to read more about how God has spoken to me in the past through my wonderful orchid, Pinky.)  Pinky had six buds.  Each bud bloomed beautifully one or two at a time.  This week, the last two buds bloomed.  Pinky took my breathe away one morning as I looked outside my bedroom window and saw that all her flowers are finally in full bloom.

Our orchid, Pinky, in full bloom, set against the early evening sky.

That same day, two sisters who are potential buyers for the condominium unit we are selling viewed our unit.  I wished deep in my heart that they would be the buyers we had been waiting and praying for.  It has been a while, years in fact, that we had been trying to sell our condominium unit.  There are days when I feel impatient as well because I wanted to move to our new house as soon as possible.  That day, God reminded me to be still and remember that there is a time for everything and that He has appointed when all things will happen.  He reminded me that as I do my best to find a buyer for our remaining condominium unit, He will do the rest.  He will provide a God-solution, a long-term solution to my family's problem.

I still do not know who among the potential buyers who inquired about our condominium and viewed our unit these past days will be our final buyer.  But I choose to be patient and wait patiently for God's perfect plans to unfold before my eyes.  In the same way that it takes time for a plant to flower and for the buds of a flower to bloom, I recognize that sometimes it takes some time before our dreams and goals are fulfilled.  I will not take matters into my own hands.  I will wait on the Lord.  Thank God, He reminded me through Brother Bo's talk and through our orchid.  If I forced Pinky's buds to open because I can't wait for them to bloom in their own time, I would have destroyed it's flowers and maybe even the plant.  I don't want that to happen to our dream house.  Thus, I choose to be still while doing my best according to the abilities and gifts that God has given me to do my share to make my dreams come true and reach my goals.  I trust that in God's time, we will find the best buyer for our condominium and we would be able to move to our new house.

In the meantime, I gaze at Pinky's beautiful flowers in full bloom every day to remind myself of these lessons God taught/reminded me recently.  There is a time for everything... a time to bloom... a time to move... a time for our dreams to come true... a time for our prayers to be granted.  May God's promises to me unfold at the most perfect time.