Are you a wallflower that longs to be more? Is God calling you to be a wallflower who steps out in faith? Are you willing to be the flower that God has called you to be, designed you to be, a greenhouse flower?

Most of my life I have lived as a wallflower and still think of myself that way. The Lord has called me out of that role at times and in obedience I have followed. But whenever I have failed, or made bad choices, causing setbacks in my walk with the Lord, I turn right back into wallflower mode.

The illusion of safety and promise of comfort lure us to hide among a wall of flowers. No one notices if you make a fool of yourself because you are invisible, in a sense. You blend in with the masses of flowers. Background noise.

But your Creator sees you. And He desires you to be more than a wallflower. He created you to be a showpiece, for His glory. You are uniquely made. There is no other flower exactly like you and He has a purpose and plan for your singular beauty.

But in order to be a showpiece, we need to trust the Master Gardener to prune us as He sees fit.

John 15:1-2 says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Pruning is not fun, it hurts, and we want to escape it. As the blades cut into our hearts and souls, we cry out, “Why Lord?” But without the Lord’s surgery on our hearts to get rid of sin, we can’t grow to be holy like Him. It is in the pruning we learn the faithfulness and magnitude of our Creator’s love. He has a plan for our lives and it is good. Greater than we can imagine as we fearfully hide along the wall.

Once He has pruned away the rot and blight, our loving Gardener fertilizes us with His truth and His way. Then He calls us to step away from the wall, with Him. Joy fills our previously imprisoned soul as we notice new buds of faith growing, and new branches of knowledge about His character. Showers of living water fill us to overflowing as He places us in His greenhouse on a niche made specifically for the type of flower we are. A place where we can display the splendour and aroma of His majesty and grace to those who pass by.

It may feel safe and comfortable as a wallflower but offers no hope for a future. As we cling to the wall, we slowly wither and die internally as the rot of sin grows deeper and stronger. The choice is ours. Unparalleled freedom and beauty, or the staleness of lost hope and purpose.

I for one choose the Lord, because I have tasted and seen that He is good! There is no one but Him. He has the words of eternal life and freedom. So, leave that wall behind, Sisters, and test the Gardener. He is faithful.

Be well!

Patricia