With the recent drought, a saguaro cactus copes with the lack of water by conserving its vertical growth and opening unused budding locations further down the side of the cactus. These “side blooms” are both a cause of distress and a rare display of extra beauty.
Colossians 1:28–29 says, ” Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
The work of presenting one another mature in Christ can often seem to be difficult and full of labor. It’s never easy to “warn” and “teach” one another. Sometimes it feels like we see little to no growth. But the Spirit causes us to adapt to this world by bringing beauty out of toil. When we strive with his energy—an energy which only he alone possesses—we can bloom in the most unexpected places.