What do plants, healing & communication all have in common? They all need an intentional approach to exist or survive. Read more to find out how caring for my house plants got me to rethink my attitude and better my communication with God & those around me.
Hey Honey’s! It’s been a while. I’m sorry for the delay in posting and didn’t mean to leave you hanging. I hope you’ve been on your way to thriving in the meantime. I’ve been learning the importance of rest lately. A message that’s always gone in one ear and out the other, sad to admit. But we are commanded to do it, Exodus Chapter 35 if you don’t believe me.
If you happen to know me personally you know that I LOVE PLANTS!
I’m a plant Mom of 10 beautiful and very unique house plants. The most intriguing thing to me about them is not only how unique they are with their leaves, colors and shapes, but how their requirements for growth are all different.
I’ve definitely inherited my grandmothers green thumb, and although I’m still new at taking care of them, I love how they teach you so much. As someone who really values communication, I love how plants TALK to you. Now before you think I’m off the wall, hear me out.
When a plant is thirsty, guess what? It’s leaves start to get dry and crinkly. When a plant is over watered, it’s leaves will almost be translucent and look saturated and soggy. When a plant gets too much sun, it’s leaves won’t be so green and it will turn yellow, and some even get dry brown patches from being sun burnt. In the case of my Benjamina Ficus that I had to re-home, it wasn’t getting enough sunlight and it started dropping leaves like crazy. Almost like it was crying. They really do let you know when something is or isn’t right.
Being a #9 Peacemaker on the Enneagram scale, I can really appreciate this about plants. They like to be at peace in their environment in order to keep growing, I can very much relate. Many plants have fallen victim to my care, mostly succulents. At first, I was under watering, thinking it was a cactus. I thought, why are the leaves so plump if they don’t live off their water supply? Welp, with that logic it was dead in two weeks. On attempt #2, I misread the leaves and assumed the wrinkling meant it was drying out, so I overwatered it. Dead again, but this time in about a month.
You see, the plant was trying to tell me something but I didn’t know how to interpret it.
Like any relationship, in this case between a girl and her plants, or let’s take it a step further, Our Heavenly Father and His children, the relationship will suffer when there’s no communication or that communication is misinterpreted for whatever reason.
When there is a failure to communicate, or understand what is being communicated, the relationship will inevitably suffer.
so, what are some hinderances to that flow of communication? Our Pain. Unresolved, unaddressed pain. Unhealed wounds and strongholds in our mind that have formed over the years. A lot of times, these things block us from receiving and hearing what God is trying to say to us. If I may take it a step further, it blocks our understanding of Him and His nothing but the best intentions for us. It blocks us being able to receive His love for us that He constantly wants to lavish on us as His children.
What is God saying to you today? What signs and lessons are you missing because you’re not seeing or hearing correctly? Not hearing correctly because of a filter of offense that’s over your ears. What is it that you’re not seeing because the lenses of your spiritual life are too cloudy because of contamination from this chaotic life?
As the preacher said a few Sunday sermons ago, it’s when we take the time to rest in the Lord that these questions begin to be answered. It’s quiet time INTENTIONALLY spent in the Lord’s presence, the time we think we can’t afford to spare that brings this type of clarity. The Bible speaks on the consequences of not having this kind of connection many places, but let’s look at John Chapter 15 for a sec.
John 15 v1-11, breaks this down so wonderfully. Please read this passage with the link I’ve provided, but let me read v6-7 to you. 6” If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
“if you’re struggling in your healing process, what’s your communication with the Lord like, in regards to that area? Because we can talk to God ALL DAY about everything under the sun, except the issue at hand. ”
Bringing it back to the plant metaphor again because it’s so relatable, When I examine my plants for their health check, I’m looking for dead or dying leaves. What do I do when I find one? I take a sharp clean blade and I cut those dead leaves off. Why? Because they’re not beneficial to the plants growth anymore. Also, if that leaf is infected for any reason, I don’t want the infection to take over the rest of the plant. What is it in your life that’s stumping you? What’s hindering your progress or growth? Is it a sinful habit? Look, we all have them, so this is a completely judgement free zone, but we all know what our issue is. And if you honestly don’t, I dare you to ask Him. Ask God honestly to show you yourself, and He lovingly will.
Maybe it’s not a bad habit, maybe its a mindset. Maybe we have to let go of some unforgiveness, or unbelief or pride.
Now I’m not here to get in anyone’s business about how or when they choose or not choose to have devotional time with their Lord. That’s between you and God. But what I’ve learned is that I couldn’t get to where I’m at in my Healing process without it. We all have 24hrs in a day. We all spend it very differently. We all have different priorities, different schedules and responsibilities, but our relationship with the Lord, ourselves and others all come back to this. Communication with the Father. Now are there non believing, great communicators out there that express themselves impeccably? Probably so. But I really wonder how much of a two way street their communication is. They may be able to express themselves but can they really hear what others are saying? Can they feel what is being expressed by the other party? I’m not saying that scenario doesn’t exist but I have yet to see it. So I want to pose another question to you, if you’re struggling in your healing process, what’s your communication with the Lord like, in regards to that area? Because we can talk to God ALL DAY about everything under the sun, except the issue at hand.
A more fun question, What type of communicator or plant do you relate to?
1) Are you the cactus type?
Just kinda lonely in the desert, antisocial and away from people, checking in with God once a month just to see if He’s still there? But like a cactus that has prickly spikes, you probably make it really hard to get close to you. You may reject the love and intimacy that you're really craving deep down.
2) Are you the Orchid type?
Super high maintenance. Only accepting temperature controlled, filtered bottled water, timed soaking and sunlight sessions? This kinda plant is representative of the person who only seeks out God or others in their life when it’s convenient for them. They may look down on others who have it “worse off” than them, taking on a critical or judgmental outlook.
3) Are you the fiddle leaf fig?
Needs a light misting daily and indirect sun & doesn’t like to move once it’s been potted and in place. Very rigid, close minded and stuck in their ways. Has a fear based fit if you suggest anything different for them because their just so used to “how it always is and was”. The daily misting is indicative of needing constant reassurance from those around them, but indirect sun, is still keeping them at arms length from the direct SON-light they need and require from time spent with the Lord.
I could really go on, with all the different plants out there in the world. But what I’m trying to convey is that our 2-way communication and time spent with the Son of the Most High, really has so much to do with our growth and our success in Healing.
I read a funny meme quote the other day that said “Make sure you get plenty of sunlight and drink lots of water. You’re basically a house plant with complicated emotions.” Had to laugh because it’s so true.
So, out of all the plants in the world, which ones should we strive to be like? Well, according to the Bible, in Isaiah 44:14, Isaiah 61:3 & Jeremiah 17:8, we are compared to the Mighty OAK TREE. You know why? Because it has a strong root system. It has big wide leaves to shield and shade, it’s known for having a huge strong trunk and are usually close to a water source, like along side a river bank.
Since I’m the newest Californian, I’m trying to embrace being a Palm tree. They grow ridiculously tall and are super close to the sun because of it. They get plenty of SON-light, haha, get it? They also have extremely strong root systems and like the one’s in south Florida, if you’ve ever seen a palm tree in the middle of a hurricane, it will bend beyond belief in the midst of those incredibly high winds but it won’t break. That’s how I want to be. Able to withstand the storms of life, because they will come. But withstanding storms like that only come from having a strong root system. Strong in the Lord.
So what kind of plant are you? What kind of plant do you want to be? What kind of friend are you? What kind of spouse? Or Parent? Or employer or employee are you? Let’s remember to stay close to the Lord, take our time to rest, and Heal, so we can show up in life so much better for ourselves and those around us.
If you find yourself struggling to heal in any area of your life, please feel free to drop me a line. The contact info is on my webpage at HealedHoney.com or you can always hit me on the Gram, I’m @HealedHoney.
Love you all, until next time,
Happy Healing!
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