The Arum Lily

Planted By God, Rooted with Purpose

I don’t know about you, but I love to potter in my garden in the cool of the evening as the day draws to a close. I gaze across my garden, looking at each plant to see if it needs care or watering. Plants are created to thrive—just like us!

When I see a plant in my garden struggling or not looking its best, I move it to a new location or position where it can thrive. Some plants do not like to sit in the sun all day, while others absolutely love lapping up the warm sunshine. Paying attention to the needs of each plant in my garden is key to their survival and growth to Thrive.

At times, we too can respond like the lily, feeling deflated, unappreciated, and underestimated. We may find ourselves placed in spaces where we don’t quite fit or belong, as though we’ve simply been ‘plonked’ in a corner of the garden with no clear purpose, vision, or direction—surrounded by overgrown shrubs and towering over-hanging trees. At times, we can feel inwardly overshadowed, hidden from the light, and easily passed by or forgotten.

In those moments, it can feel as though our presence goes unnoticed, just like the lily in my front garden—our beauty unacknowledged and our worth forgotten. We may even find ourselves questioning whether we belong or have anything meaningful to offer. The noise and busyness around us can drown out the quiet strength within us. Yet we do not lose our beauty simply because we feel hidden in the shadows. It does not become any less elegant because it is not the centre of our own or others’ attention; rather, its grace and structure remain intact, regardless of where it is planted.

TRUST THE ONE WHO CLOTHES THE LILIES.

Consider and notice the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how, much more will he clothe you? Luke 12:27 – 28

Notice in Luke 12 -it reminds us that just as lilies grow without striving or stress, we are not meant to live driven by constant anxiety.  The modern mindset shifts everything to be entirely dependent on our own effort.  The kingdom of God teaches us something different: work responsibly, but don’t let worry dominate you.

Just like the lily, there is something within us that does not diminish because of our surroundings. Beneath the surface, our roots are strengthening, resilience is forming, and purpose is quietly taking shape. What may appear to be a neglected space can become a place of remarkable, transforming preparation.

We can learn from the lily. It blooms in its own time, shaped by the environment in which it grows. It does not hurry, compare, or compete for attention—it simply responds to the conditions within, above, and around it, rising gracefully when it is ready.

YOUR SEASON TO BLOOM HAS NOT PASSED. YOUR BEAUTY HAS NOT BEEN LOST

In the same way, we are not defined by where we are placed, but by what we carry deep within us—like roots hidden beneath the earth. It is important to recognise that our value is not determined by how visible we are, how loud we can be, or how much we feel seen or appreciated by others. We are identified and defined by what has already been planted deep within us—our identity in Christ. 

So even if you feel like you’ve been placed in the insignificant background, your presence still matters, even if it seems like life has tucked you into a quiet, unseen corner—remember this: your season to bloom has not passed you by. Your beauty has not been lost. You are not forgotten. God is carefully watching over you, tending to you even in the hidden places, preparing you to bloom in His timing. Did you hear that? In His timing.

THINGS IN OUR LIVES HAPPEN, IN THE MOST EVERYDAY PLACES

I would like to share with you a prophetic act I undertook a few years ago. Come with me, in a sense, into my front garden and let me try to explain. There, I noticed a poor, neglected lily beneath an overhanging apple tree and surrounding shrubs. A lily that once stood tall with vibrant emerald-green leaves, and a beautiful white, cornet-shaped blossom, a sight of great beauty.

Over the years, I faithfully watered it, but it wasn’t growing. It was struggling to receive sunlight—its source of energy—as well as the water and nourishment it needed from the soil.

I decided to gently and carefully lift it from where it was planted, supporting the roots in one hand while holding the foliage in the other. With gentle care and ease, I removed the lily and repot it in a large blue garden pot. I trimmed away the sagging leaves and gave it fresh water. Then I moved it from the front garden to the back, placing it on the stone ground among other flourishing plants—into a space where it could finally thrive.

And then, one day, something changed....

Where there had once been struggle, there was now life. Where there had been stillness, there was movement. The lily began to rise—strong, steady, and full of quiet beauty.

It didn’t bloom overnight. It didn’t strive or force its way forward. But in its new environment, with the right light, care, and space, it responded. And in time, it blossomed.  This brought tears to my eyes, because I knew the Holy Spirit was showing me something that was much deeper than what was on the surface.

As I stood and looked at it, I realised that this was more than just a plant—it was a prophetic prompting to move.

A picture of what happens when something that was once hidden, restricted, or overlooked is brought into the right place and given the right conditions to thrive.

The lily didn’t change its nature—it revealed what had already been within it all along. The beauty was always there. The potential was already planted deep within its roots. It simply needed the right environment and position for it to emerge. Isn’t that just like us?

Sometimes we think nothing is happening. Sometimes we believe we’ve been forgotten, overlooked, or left behind. But beneath the surface, God is at work—strengthening our roots, restoring what was weak, and preparing us for something greater. And then, in His perfect timing, we blossom. 

During this moment of uprooting and transferring the lily, I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me: “This is you.”  As I reflected on those words, I knew He was right—of course He was right. I began to realise that I had felt overshadowed—present but not truly seen. Like I was accepted in the background, but not genuinely valued for who I am.  Is this speaking to you, my beloved?

There have been many times in my life, and I’m sure in yours too, when we have been in a room full of familiar people, yet somehow felt as though we were fading into the walls.  We are included but not truly known.  People don’t reject us, but they don’t really see us either. 

At times it can feel as though we are being tolerated -allowed to exist -rather than truly being celebrated and valued for who we are.  All those tangled emotions came flooding to the forefront of our minds.   It’s time to move, just like the lily.

This is not an invitation to a pity party. It is not about sitting down, weighed by our emotions, or dwelling aimlessly on how we feel. Rather, it is an invitation to pause and reflect on something much deeper: How many of us quietly long to be seen? How many of us carry a hidden desire to be appreciated, valued, and respected? How many of us sense that we were made for more?

I would like you to notice that there is a difference between being accepted and being celebrated. Being accepted allows us to confidently exist in the moment.  Whereas being celebrated affirms who we are. It acknowledges our value, our worth, our uniqueness, and the contributions we carry and bring into the world and into the spaces around us, and yet, many of us move through life daily in places where that celebration is absent.  

We were never created to depend on or rely on applause to truly know our worth.  Our worth is found deep within the knowledge and understanding of the One who created us in the beginning.  The Good, Good Father.

When negative feelings arise—when we feel overlooked, unappreciated, or unseen—it does not mean we are lacking or insignificant. It does not diminish our value. Rather, it may reflect the environments we are in -our workplaces, churches, friendships, or even family dynamics. Sometimes, the very places that are meant to nurture and affirm us fail to mirror back the truth of who we are.

But even when our surroundings fall short, there is something more powerful we must remember: our true and complete worth is not determined by limited external validation.  So, let’s take a moment—pause, breathe, and truly reflect on that.

Hidden within each one of us is an inner knowing—a quiet yet steady truth—that we are created for more. Did you catch that?  We are created for MORE!  

We are created to grow, created to flourish, created to become all that we are designed to be by the Master Creator Himself.  We are all called to be celebrated, to blossom together -like a beautiful array of stunning colours, each one unique, yet perfectly woven into a greater, beautiful whole.

Just like the lily, which does not question its beauty simply because no one stops to admire it, we too must learn to trust what has been placed within us. There is a personal fragrance within each of us—our gifts, our character, our purpose—that has always been there, even before we were formed, as -Psalm 139 reminds us.

Our gifts, our character, and our purpose do not need permission to exist. They do not disappear simply because they go unnoticed.

The journey, then, is not just about waiting to be seen—it’s about allowing ourselves to rise, to grow in confidence to blossom, and to release our fragrance everywhere we go.

When you begin to live from that place of acceptance and knowing, you no longer wait to be celebrated or seen—you become someone who lives as though you already are. 

For this is the true assurance of how we are called to live, not defined by voices or opinions around us, but anchored in someone far deeper. Jesus.

You are established by the One who created and formed you in the beginning, in that secret place that Psalm 139 reminds us and speaks of.  Being deeply rooted, adopted, chosen, loved, favoured, forgiven -and yes, beautifully set apart by the One who created you: the Good, Good Father.

Now rise with the inner quiet confidence, carrying a glory that does not need permission to grow.  No longer searching for affirmation – you walk in it.  Now embrace the morning glory within you.

In the New Testament book of John chapter 15, – we are taught to remain connected to the vine -Jesus, in order to live a purposeful and fruitful life.  Jesus also commands us to love others unconditionally, reflecting His own-selfless and life-giving love towards us. 

Loving others is essential to following the mandate of Jesus and loving God faithfully is expressed through our abiding in Him and walking in obedience.

Be prepared for those pruning seasons when we face challenges. Moments that shape us and strengthen us. They allow us to grow through every season, deep within our souls.  For pruning, though often uncomfortable, ultimately produces much more fruit.

So, as we reflect on these truths, let us remember that we are not unseen, nor are we without purpose. Just like the lily, we are created to grow, to flourish, and to release the fragrance placed within us. When all is said and done, we are created for more. Even in seasons of pruning, we are being prepared for greater fruit. Remain connected to the vine, deeply rooted in Jesus, and trust in the One who formed you. In every season, you are called to rise, to blossom, and to walk in love and acceptance.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Help me to see who I am in You.

Help me to recognise the areas where I struggle with my identity.

I thank You that I am created for more—help me to see that “more” within me.

Help me to recognise when I feel tolerated rather than celebrated, and to seek true acceptance and love.

Help me not to strive for success, but to rest in trust and confidence in You.

Strengthen my roots and help them grow deep within the knowledge of who

You are.

Help me not to compare myself with others, but to see myself as You see me.

Place me where I can thrive and be true to who You have always created me to be.

Help me to rise and blossom in Your perfect timing.

You are truly my Good, Good Father.

Amen.