deadhead

Way back in June, I deadheaded the pinks while they were in full bloom. It seems like such a shameful thing to cut off blossoms in their prime. But I wanted them to bloom again. They did at the end of July and now they are going to seed.

I can't help thinking that something in this activity is like our faith. Sometimes our faith is strong and it seems to shine brilliantly when suddenly we are cut. Sometimes the crisis that cuts us is physical, sometimes it is emotional, and sometimes it is spiritual. Whatever the case may be, suddenly we are not beautifully blossoming examples of faith. Not only are the blooms gone but so are the buds that were about to open. We’ve lost half our growth and we are left wondering why. We feel ugly with blunt stems reaching towards the heaven begging for what is gone.

I looked at the bucket full of blossoms that are still beautiful but are most certainly going to die and wonder why it is necessary to destroy or remove beauty in order to create more beauty.


Does God deadhead us on purpose? Perhaps those showy blossoms that scream ‘look at me!’ do not serve God so much as serving ourselves. Perhaps we need humbling so that we can bloom again.

After the flowers are deadheaded, they put all their energy into blooming again. When the second flush of blossoms fade, the plant goes to seed. Some of that seed will be ate by birds and rodents, some of the seed will get washed into the gutter, some will put down roots and grow and bloom next year.

I could have let it go to seed the first time but I chose to damage the plant so that it could bloom again.

It makes me wonder…does God deadhead me?