Helianthus Annuus – A Natural Inspiration

A while ago, I blogged about my 18th Birthday present from Mom – a sunflower. Her reason for giving it to me was that just as the budding sunflower always faces the sun, she wished that my soul will always be looking towards God (the greatest light). Two nights ago, I found out something else about the simple sunflower from Hui Mei. She told me that sunflowers are heavy metal accumulators of radioactive substances like caesium and strontium, and even organic chemicals like benzene (which is carcinogenic) and toluene. Having absorbed these harmful substances, the sunflower supposedly stores it, harming nothing, not even itself. Furthermore, in field tests, sunflowers floating on rafts have removed radioactive metals from water ponds at Chernobyl.

Hui Mei was struck by the fact that the sunflower was a ‘plant with a purpose’. Little did she know that the interesting trivia she shared evolved into a theme for my prayer and reflection. I was struck by that very same fact about the sunflower (which is also shared by other hyperaccumulators, but this entry is about the sunflower so I’m sticking to sunflowers). Its ability to absorb such toxic substances (and in so doing, provide a service) and yet remain unharmed. Would I be able to do that? There is so much ‘toxin’ in the world around us…would I be able to, with God’s love, in some small way, help remove some of that toxin? But more importantly, could I learn to do it without harm to myself, and to others?

Mother Teresa once said, “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” I have certainly experienced loving until it hurts…but what does it mean that there can be no more hurt, only more love? Love…until it hurts. But not just with my own imperfect little store of love. Perhaps when we learn to truly love, but not just with all our strength, but with God’s love, will there be ‘no more hurt, only more love’.

Mother Teresa also said, “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” Often I tell God that I wish to be His instrument. But many times it’s so easy to get carried away in what I’m doing that I forget to check if I’m really being His instrument, or if I’ve hijacked His purpose and become ‘deaf’ to His promptings. What good is a pencil if it fails to follow the hand of the writer? It’s so easy to get so caught up in what I think is right, or what ought to happen in the ‘story’, that I forget that I’m just…a pencil. And I want to be that, because I do believe that the most beautiful love letter can only be written when I let God write with as little interference as possible from me. When will I learn to stop telling God what to do, and to TRUST Him? I feel so silly at times…worrying about this, worrying about that…reminding God of all the things that could go wrong. Worrying for nothing…because He obviously knows what He’s doing and how He’s going to do it. And yet, even knowing that, it is often difficult to bring my emotions in line with what I understand.

“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.” I couldn’t help smiling over this one. It’s so comforting to know that even Mother Teresa had this sentiment. Seven years ago, I received a cross that, at the time, I felt would surely crush me. I could see no reason for hope, I saw no light. The only reason I continued to try facing each day with faith was believing that God knows me better than I know myself…so if He thinks I can carry this cross, I must be able to. I had to remember to draw on His love and His strength though, because there was no way I could do it on my own. And yet, though I know that I’m being given heavier and heavier crosses so that I may grow in faith, sometimes I wished He didn’t think I was capable of such crosses. And yet, I know, it is always relative. As I grow stronger, so will my crosses get heavier. But if I can learn to accept my crosses with love and faith, I will become a better instrument of God’s peace and love. If I’m willing to subject myself to be ‘sharpened’ by God’s love, I would be able to serve Him better as one of His little pencils.

I have yet so very much to learn. I’m always astounded at God’s forbearance, patience and love for me. Even when I’m doing badly, He still sends angels in the guise of friends and family…who, whether knowingly or unknowingly, speak words of great encouragement to me. I must diminish, and Christ increase. All that I am, all that I have, and all that I’ll ever be…is His. And it is in learning to surrender to Him that I will become strong. True strength…not gotten through the building of walls over my heart, but achieved through love and faith. I want to be like the Sunflower, to be able to make a difference, without harm to myself or to others. I want to learn what it really means to be able to love until it hurts, so that there is no longer hurt, only more love.
“A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love.” -Mother Teresa
Let us all strive to be joyful!

Mother Teresa Quotes