You can bloom again.

By Ijeoma M Anyanwu

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38)

Giving is a fundamental aspect of many religious and spiritual traditions around the world.  It also serves as a cornerstone of moral and ethical practice. Rooted in principles of compassion, generosity, and stewardship, giving extends beyond mere material offerings, encompassing acts of kindness, service, and support for those in need.  Giving has a massive impact on building relationships and promoting personal development, whether it takes the form of monetary gifts, time and talent volunteering, or providing emotional support to others.  From the Old Testament, to the New Testament the concept of giving (especially to the poor and needy) is  considered a sacred duty because it is an instruction from the Lord.  It was and still is  God's way of ensuring that no one goes without the basic needs of life (you can call it God's  welfare package).

Tithing, giving of offerings, to support the church and those in need, are channels through which this giving is done.  The New Testament  encourages believers to give cheerfully and generously, with promises of spiritual blessings and divine provision" (Luke 6:38).  Giving empowers both the giver and the receiver.  It is like a two edged sword.  That is why your life is not  over just because you are poor or broke right now. You can rise again and become a  generous giver. The story of Naomi and Ruth is a great example of the impact of receiving and giving.

Naomi returned from Moab to her home land with nothing tangible, except her daughter-in-law, Ruth.  A little while later, she instructs Ruth to go out into a field to pick up some left over grains so that they could have some food to eat.  This was in accordance with the provision made by the Lord for those in need.  She complied  and from her daily work in that field, they were able to have some food. 

Your present state and what has happened

 in the past do not need to define you 

or be your end.  

Things can change for the better. 

Some time later, in keeping with Jewish customs surrounding inheritance, Naomi gives Ruth another directive to see Boaz and ask him to redeem her. Ruth complied and became the wife of Boaz, the rich farmer.  They had a son who would become the grand father of David, king of Israel.

Believe that you can rise again

Like Naomi, you may be at ground zero. Your  business failed, or you made a bad investment deal. Or you are a young professional  facing financial difficulties; you barely manage to make ends meet. You can rise and bloom again.  The first thing that you need to do is to  believe and remind yourself that going bankrupt, losing an investment, and being impoverished or experiencing scarcity today does not have to be the pinnacle of your life or the conclusion of your story.  The Scriptures tell us that the righteous may fall seven times, but he will rise again.  So it's not over.

Look out for opportunities

Second, you have to walk forward in faith and seek out opportunities to get back up again, just like Ruth did. You can rebuild your business or ministry, pay back your loan, and  be able to feed  and provide for yourself and your family.  Naomi, upon return, could have sat down with her daughter-in-law to have a pity party; feeling sorry for themselves.  She could have sat down each day to blame her husband for leaving her alone in a foreign land( the way we wives do when a decision we have objected to goes wrong). Or she could have remained at the house where they were staying, feeling too proud to work in another person’s field as a poor widow. Rather,  she sent her daughter-in-law out into a field to work. Complaining, whining, assigning blame, feeling sorry for yourself, or being too arrogant to move out of fear of what others would think will not make your circumstances better. But taking action—after you have sobbed and admitted your error, having identified the root of the matter— will make you rise and bloom again.

Take a step forward

Ruth complied, and her mother-in-law was reinstated among her people, and she became a wealthy daughter-in-law. Your present state, and what has happened in the past do not need to define you or be your end.  Things can change for the better.  Like Naomi and Ruth, you can bloom again.  With the right attitude and actions, you can be restored,  you can become that person that you never dreamed that you could ever be. You can bloom again. Like Ruth,  who kept living honorably in her new home land, and harvesting the barley and wheat for four months alongside the other women, you may need to go out every day, doing whatever you find to do.  Or, you might have to start all over again.  However, if you do not give up, the Lord promises that you will reap in due season (Gal 6:9).  Like they say, the downfall of a man is not the end of his life.  The Scripture says it so  beautifully: "The godly may fall seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked" (Prov 24:16).

Let us pray:  Father, thank you for the good thoughts and plans that you have for me, as I trust you today, guide me and grant me the grace to do what I need to do to bounce back or move ahead in Jesus name.