A Lesson on Perseverance from...the Pepper Plant

"Sometimes when you're in a dark place you think you've been buried, but you've actually been planted."  -Christine Caine

Earlier this spring, my husband and I scattered some pepper seeds in seed trays so that we would have established seedlings or plants to put into the ground for our annual vegetable garden. With the danger of frost behind us, we spent time planting them into the ground this past weekend.

Oftentimes, when planting the seeds, we put multiple seeds in each section of the seed tray in case we have poor germination. As luck would have it, most sections ended up with 3-5 plants each! In order to make the most of this, we separated plants that had been bound together at the roots and planted them individually.

As I planted, I glanced back at my rows to ensure I was working in a straight line. I began to notice that it only took a few minutes after planting that the pepper plants had become "sad" and droopy.

Having been taken from the soil they once knew and the company with whom they were closely intertwined, they were now set into unfamiliar ground, alone and with so much space to explore. Full of new and bizarre looking pebbles, worms, grubs and more. Though not destroyed, the plants no doubt detected the places where they had been broken, with remnants of roots remaining in the seed tray to prove it.

As uncomfortable as the move from the cups to the ground was for the plants, they would have been unlikely to produce any viable fruit with their roots confined in a space so small. They had outgrown their nutritional resources. Water would have passed right through the root-bound mass and they would have been unable to absorb the life-giving drink. Ultimately, most, if not all, would have died.

But, with their new environment, they have been given unlimited opportunities for root growth and plentiful space to soak up the sunshine, resulting in the ability to produce vibrant fruit.

If the pepper plant could talk, I would bet it would have had some choice words for me, questioning how something so abrupt and distressing could possibly be for its benefit. But I know, in time, the pepper plant will have new opportunity for abundant growth and prosperity.

When something disrupts our environment, safe and familiar, it is natural to feel upset, uncomfortable, and desperate for a reassuring "watering" to remind us that we will have what we need. Have you ever felt "uprooted" from what you once knew and felt carelessly thrust in an unfamiliar environment? Were you ripped apart from someone or something that seemed to be a part of you? Did you wither and droop too? Did you doubt that God may have a path to prosperity for your own life as you experience this new unknown?

Through reluctance to accept change and our endless search for comfort and ease, perhaps we too have missed opportunities to produce fruit, which ultimately leaves us to feel unsatisfied and restless. We must accept that change can feel painful or awkward to start, but it's necessary for becoming our best version of ourselves.

What change can you make to your health and workout routine to break out of your comfort zone and have the room to grow?

Yes, you might feel like those pepper plants did this weekend as you start your new routine. But I can tell you that, today, just a few short days after being planted in their new home, they are standing tall and are ready to PROSPER. 🌶️

You Are Made For More.