Stuck in a box

God talks to me in the strangest ways. I was in Lowe's and passed by a shelf full of Amaryllis flowers stuck in a box. A few were trying their best to grow and poke right out of the box. Others had given up and it was obvious they would not grow. Only I would be sad by this fact. :)Instantly, I heard God speak in my heart and say, "How many times are my people like that and they blame me?" I feel like He was saying that He created us to bloom and be free but we stay stubbornly stuck in a box and blame Him for being stuck in the box when He has given us tools NOT to be stuck in the box. How? First, we must choose to see we are stuck in a box and decide to open it. Then, we must take additional steps to make sure we thrive. We need the right amount of water so the compacted soil can soften and expand. We need that soiled tucked in around us. Then, the bulb, being nested into the soil will have the nutrition and warmth needed to grow. What does this have to do with us? I feel that some of us feel God has placed us in a box and we feel we can't connect to Him, can't grow spiritually, etc. ..yet we take no steps to get free from the box. So, what do we do? Open the box. Get plugged into a church that teaches God's word, not just pep talks. Be placed where you will be fed (soft dirt)/ a church that will open the word to nourish your soul. You can't take hard soil and expect a plant to thrive. Read Matthew 13:4-9. Hard soil won't work. How does God make our soil soft? His word, His people, His Holy Spirit, prayer, and life events/circumstances. He will gently prick the soil of our lives to make our soil expand so we can be who He designs us to be. Sometimes we complain, say He is picking on us...yet it is for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:27-29) We must be patient and trust as He fluffs our soil..for our good and our growth. When we finally cooperate, after a period of time, we might get frustrated because we look like a weird green stalk without a bloom. We might be making the same dumb mistake over and over again. We might feel like we should have a handle on our temper, on our patience, on our thought life...etc. However, if we are doing what He has called us to do, if we are seeking His face, if we are in His word, if we are praying, the blooming of our flower (our sanctification) is His job! Be patient. Get out of the box. Don't fuss when He fluffs your soil. Give nourishment to your soil. Be in the dirt. Wait on Him to make you beautiful.