“Then the Lord opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.” – Genesis 21:19
Have you ever found yourself desperately wanting something, only to discover you already had it all along? That’s exactly what happened to my friend with a prayer plant, and it taught me a profound lesson about how God provides for us in ways we often don’t recognize.
The Plant I Didn’t Know I Had
For months, my friend found herself captivated by the beauty of prayer plants. Their unique leaves that fold upward at night, as if in prayer, seemed like the perfect addition to her home. She scrolled through plant websites, visited nurseries, and dreamed of the day she could finally bring one home.
Meanwhile, sitting forgotten in a corner of her living room was a struggling plant she’d been ready to discard. Its leaves were drooping, its appearance lackluster. In her mind, it had become nothing more than a reminder of her failures in plant care, a dying thing taking up space that could be better used.
But God has a way of opening our eyes to what we’ve been blind to all along.
While at the plant nursery, she described her “dying” plant to a young employee and showed her a picture; the employee smiled knowingly. “That’s a prayer plant,” she said. “They’re just divas, they have their own personality. It’s probably fine, just needs some attention.”
My friend stood there, stunned. The very plant she had been longing for was already in her home, neglected and overlooked.
The Mother Who Couldn’t See the Well
This experience reminds me of Hagar in Genesis 21:8-21. Cast out into the wilderness with her son Ishmael, she wandered until their water ran out. Sitting under a bush, she placed her dying boy some distance away because she couldn’t bear to watch him die. In her desperation, she lifted her voice and wept.
But here’s the remarkable part: God had already provided exactly what she needed. The angel of the Lord called to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
Then, and this is the moment that takes my breath away, “God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.”
The well had been there all along. In her despair and fear, Hagar couldn’t see the very provision that would save both her and her son. She had been crying out for help while sitting near the answer to her prayers.
What Wells Are We Missing?
How often do we find ourselves like Hagar, or like my friend with her prayer plant, desperately crying out for something we believe we lack, while sitting right next to the very provision God has already supplied? Using my friend and her plant as an example may seem silly and simple. However, many times the simplicity of a thing is just what we need to help us see Jesus.
Perhaps you’ve been praying for:
● A deeper relationship with God, while your Bible sits unopened on the nightstand
● More joy in your life, while missing the small daily blessings He’s already provided
● A sense of purpose, while the gifts and talents He’s given you remain unused
● Better relationships, while neglecting to nurture the people already in your circle
● Financial provision, while failing to recognize His faithfulness in meeting your daily needs
● Peace in your circumstances, while overlooking the comfort of His presence that’s always available
Sometimes what we’re desperately seeking isn’t something new we need to acquire it’s something we already possess that needs our attention, care, and recognition. We need God to open our eyes to see the wells He’s already placed within our reach.
Repotting Our Perspective
When my friend got home from that eye-opening nursery visit, she didn’t just water the plant; she also took care of it. She repotted it, gave it fresh soil, found it a better location, and began caring for it with intention. The transformation was remarkable, not because the plant had changed, but because her perspective and care had changed.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. Sometimes we need to “repot” our perspective, to:
Recognize what God has already placed in our lives
Refresh our approach to the blessings we’ve been neglecting
Relocate our focus from what we lack to what we’ve been given
Renew our commitment to nurturing what’s already within our reach
The Diva Plant Principle
The nursery worker called prayer plants “divas” because they require specific care and attention. They’re beautiful and unique, but they require someone who understands their nature and is willing to cater to their specific needs.
Today, take a moment to look around your life, your relationships, your circumstances, your gifts with fresh eyes. The very thing you’ve been seeking might be right there, waiting for your recognition and care.
What we seek is often already within reach. We just need to pray and ask God to open our eyes to see.