The Burden to Bloom
What burden are you carrying?
I had the honor of speaking to a wonderful group of women over the weekend. I shared a message from my heart- a beautiful truth the Lord has been teaching me about blooming His way.
Things Bloom Differently in the Desert
I spent 10 years in the high desert of Albuquerque, New Mexico. From beach bum to desert dweller- a shock to the system. I had to adapt to high altitude, dry heat, and yes, snowy winters. Landscapes look different 6,000 feet above sea level. I exchanged palm trees for prickly pears and seagulls for roadrunners- and if you’ve ever had your lunch stolen by an angry gull, you know that’s the better end of the deal! I had to purchase real shoes for the first time in my life. Sandals and snow don’t mix.
A lot of life unfolded in that desert decade. While I was adjusting to my new horizon marked by miles upon miles of wide open space, blue skies, and awe-inspiring mountains, God was adjusting my spiritual eyesight. In the wide open spaces, He widened my understanding of what it means to bloom- His way. Blooming His way is a slow, steady, and sanctifying process. And this process often occurs in the unlikely desert seasons of our lives when the land feels barren beneath our feet- no blooms in sight.
The Burden to Bloom
You see, there is a lot of pressure on women to “bloom where you’re planted,” chase God sized dreams, and do all the things because we’re “made for more.”
I can’t help but wonder if this pressure is partly to blame for some of the burnout we’re seeing among women today. I have a suspicion we are on the cusp of a revolution led by courageous women cultivating a Spirit led life.
These will be the women who crawl out from underneath the pressure to bloom by the world’s worn out standards. These will be the women with their ear to the Father’s heart. These will be the women who stop trying to bloom where they’re planted and make room where God put them. These will be the women who will fix their eyes, run their race, and let the Holy Spirit set their pace- a revolution of devotion to God and God alone.
So I have to ask, have you ever felt a burden to bloom? Have you ever been weighed down by the world’s expectations? Are you carrying around a heavy burden of performance or perfection that threatens to crush your spirit?
Are you carrying a burden to bloom in your personal life, work life, or family life?
Maybe it’s time to lay that burden down at the foot of the cross. Maybe it’s time to ask God what His plans are for you. Maybe it’s time to take a good hard look at your pace, your priorities, your people, and pray that the Lord would remove any burdens (internally or externally) that weigh you down. At the very least, maybe it’s time to log off Pinterest and just plan a normal, fun birthday party for your child, whether it’s aesthetically pleasing or not.
Chasing Versus Cultivating
The first step to blooming God’s way is to stop chasing. The world says, “Chase your dreams!” But God invites you to cultivate your calling. It's time to ask God what He has called you to do according to His purpose. It's time to switch to God's metric of success- faithfulness and devotion to Him alone. It's time to refuse the world's pressure and pursue the Lord's pruning. You see, cultivating your calling requires total dependency on the One who called you in the first place. And that keeps you close to the source of strength and joy. Yes, cultivation keeps you close to your Creator.
Here's what we receive when we cultivate with our Creator:
Real rest and restoration
Heavenly resources from the Holy Spirit
A renewed mind
A refreshed heart
Endurance to run the race God has set before us
Friends, we don't have to chase anything anymore. Because we get the opportunity to cultivate with our Creator. And in His presence there is fullness of joy.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Spend five minutes in prayer today asking the Lord to reveal what burdens you’re carrying. Ask Him to release you of the burden to bloom where you’re planted. And then enter into His rest and abundance as you partner with Him in the cultivation of your calling. Remember, He’s the one who called you in the first place! And He’s called you to peace and grace in Christ Jesus. Yes and amen!
With Love,
Audra
P.S. I’d love to hear from you! Send me an e-mail or leave a comment if this resonates. I want to hear your burden to bloom, pray for you, and cheer you on in your race of faith.
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Thank you for this, Audra! This ministered to my heart today. So often I wrestle with feelings of insufficiency. It feels like I'm never giving enough time to any of my commitments, like there's always so much more I could or should be doing to chase my dreams.
I greatly appreciated this reminder in the midst of a busy, confusing season of growth. Right now, it feels like God is deepening my roots--the seeds have been planted, but the fruit has not yet fully ripened. Thank you for this reminder during a time when I'm struggling to "bloom."
Thank you. Beautiful 🩷
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Needed this reminder 👆🕊