Cactus Flowers

It's been another rough couple of days with t. Thankfully this time it's only something very minor, but you know me... my mind races. Anyway, a few minutes ago I decided to take my mind off of things for a while and play with some photos. I came across a few pictures of cactus flowers we encountered a couple of months ago on a picnic. They are nondescript and I really hadn't given them a second thought until today. It's amazing how God uses big moments in our lives to help us to see simple things. As I was adjusting color on this photo I was pondering how interesting it is that God put flowers on cactus plants. Here is this somewhat ugly plant with prickly spines all over it and then a pretty pink flower at the top. Why would He do that. One side of me thinks it doesn't matter and God doesn't need a reason for what He does. But the other side of me thinks, no, knows He has a reason for everything. Maybe the reason for cactus flowers is just to remind us (me) that life is like those little plants. It is colorful and interesting. Parts of it are ugly, confusing and painful. Yet in the midst of the ugly, confusing and painful comes this beautiful, delicate flower. Wow. Even as I'm typing this I'm reminded that cactus plants store water in them to survive the terrain they were created in. Another example to me of how life should be. Store up God’s living water (His Word) inside me and I will be able to survive no matter where He plants me. And just like a little cactus flower, even though the reason for it's creation is a bit vague at times, God created you and me for a reason. He does nothing on a whim. That reason isn't to make us happy, or even feel fulfilled. It isn't to make us see how wonderful He is by blessing our socks off. It is to praise and glorify Him whether we look like a rose or a cactus flower. And by the way, roses have thorns too! Hmm, maybe God is trying to tell us something...! When you have a day or week or year that makes you wonder about God's goodness or character, and it looks like the only thing around you are the prickly spines, keep a look out for that flower.