Don’t be a Succulent: personal pep talk

So maybe you’re curious as to why in the world I am writing a blog post about succulents. I am honestly wondering the same thing. You know when you get a random thought in your mind that you just can’t shake? Well, right now, I can’t shake this idea of succulents. I’m going to believe this is the Holy Spirit and ride this one out. Hang with me friends, I literally have no idea where this post is going.

Recently, I have become somewhat infatuated with succulents. I guess it all started when I bought my grandma one for mother’s day, then we moved into our new apartment and I thought, hey, why can’t I try to keep a succulent alive? I now have a fern, a small christmas tree (from my father), two succulents and one cactus on the balcony of our apartment. I’m obsessed. So maybe I just wanted to challenge myself and see if I have a green thumb, or maybe I just had extra space on my balcony and thought I should fill it with plants? I’m not exactly sure where my infatuation is stemming from. (stemming from, get it?)

Still though, I can’t help but think that there is something significant about my desire to nurture these succulents.

A verse keeps coming to mind as I am typing these words.

You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

Obviously, my first reaction is to somewhat chuckle at myself because clearly I would think of this verse when I can’t shake the thought of succulents.

When I bought my succulents, I made sure to pick some out that had the tag with the care instructions attached. I knew I would need all the help I could get. Anyways, I was instructed to only “water the succulent when the soil is dry to the touch.” Easy enough.

I am proud to say that my succulents are currently alive and well and they have been in my care for almost a month. Win!

Here’s when the Holy Spirit starts opening my eyes. Confession, I’m dry. I’m spiritually dry. This season of life has been so exciting and so exhausting at the same time. Riley and I have just moved to Kansas City with our 4 month old puppy, KC, who we absolutely adore, and I have just started my very first big-girl job. Things are great! But I am dry.

You know what else? I am stubborn. I have known for a while that I am dry. I have known and I continued to push on, without looking towards heaven, thinking I can just power through it.

My question to myself is, why?

Why do I let myself get so thirsty before I decide to drink from the cup that never runs dry? Jesus promises that I will seek Him and find Him when I seek Him with all of my heart. When I know this promise is true, why don’t I put more effort into staying spiritually healthy?

I don’t have much wisdom to offer up in this post, but maybe it’s exactly what you’re needing to hear. I hope that in my sharing, you are encouraged to drink from the cup that never runs dry, on a regular basis, and not just when you’re feeling dehydrated. Don’t be a succulent. Be a child of the King and don’t take for granted the blessings that he wants to pour out on each of us.

Thanks for hanging with me through my personal pep talk.

Be encouraged, friends.