Full Bloom

"The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God."
Isaiah 35:1&2 


Sometimes it feels like we are living in a desert. Our spirits may feel dry to the point that it seems like God is so far away, we cannot get to him. This dry place often invades our everyday lives as well. When we find ourselves here, the struggles seem greater, the issues bigger, and the loneliness intense. But there is a time coming when all of that will change. We have great hope in God. He will never forsake us, in fact, he intends for our desert to bloom with new revelation, new blessing, and joy unspeakable. 
    A few years ago, the Death Valley desert in southeastern California experienced an unusual amount of rainfall. The average annual rainfall is virtually nil in that region. But this particular year, nearly 6" of rain fell on the desert. The result of this was a springtime desert bloom that had not been seen for a hundred years. Botanists came from every corner of the world to study the phenomenon. They discovered species of plants that had been assumed extinct because they had not been seen in so long. Botanists discovered that these seeds lay dormant in the desert ground until there was enough moisture for them to grow and reproduce. It was an amazing year in one of the driest places on earth. 
    I believe there are seeds of greatness, blessing, and success in every life. All it takes is one outpouring of God's spirit to bring these things to life. While scientists lost hope that plant species still existed, we have great hope that the seeds God has planted in us not only exist, but that he intends to water them and bring new life to the desert places of our lives. We cannot lose hope, we cannot lose courage. God's promise is to make the desert bloom, and it will bloom with more glorious results than we can possibly imagine. 
    If you feel like you are firmly camping in the desert, take hope today. God's promise to you is clear. He will bring spiritual rain to your life. The blessings, gifts, and promises he put in your life before you were born, will come to full bloom. Some of these seeds, you may already see. Others may be so far beyond your comprehension that you have no idea what God's plans are. But you can be assured of this; it will be spectacular. God has never created anyone to be 'average.' All are unique, all are his handiwork, and all have the seeds of the Spirit within. The day is coming and it will be soon. Your desert will be in full bloom.