Bananas Don't Belong in a Purse

Whenever I leave the house and know I will be gone for a couple of hours, I grab a banana and throw it in my purse. I do this with the intention of having a quick healthy snack to eat in case I get hungry while I am out. But honestly, more times than not, I don’t get hungry while I am out and either don’t eat the banana, or I forget that it is in my purse. Then I come home and see the banana all bruised up from the other things in my purse bumping into it. One day, I did my usual habit of grabbing a banana, sticking it in my purse, and headed out the door. As I was driving on the highway I felt God tell me, “bananas don’t belong in a purse.” I was confused by this and I asked God for a deeper understanding of what He meant. What I realized was that bananas don’t belong in a purse because they end up getting bruised and wasted. I don’t end up eating it, which is always the intention of me grabbing a banana in the first place. Then I knew God was comparing this to my writing. At that time, I had known for a while that God wanted me to write. I have enjoyed writing ever since I was a little girl, but I was scared to do it and never got started. I thought that people would judge me, I was worried that people wouldn’t agree with what I would write, and I was crippled by the fear that my words don’t matter. I realized my writing was just like a banana being wasted in a purse, getting bruised and going bad. The more I kept putting off writing and kept it hidden inside of me, the bigger my fear became to actually get started with it. God gives us all desires and talents that He wants us to use for His glory. He doesn’t want us to keep it hidden from the world, He wants us to use what He has given us to shine brightly for others. Now, whenever I grab a banana and leave the house, instead of putting it in my purse, I leave it in the cup holder of my car, there in plain sight so I don’t forget about it. It is not hidden in my purse, and it doesn’t get bruised or go bad. And now, more times than not, I eat the banana and it is not wasted.

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father In heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Journal Prompt -  What is your “banana”? What desire or talent has God placed in your heart? Are you tapping into it or are you keeping it hidden? For me, it was writing. If you are scared to get started with whatever it is, just like I was, that’s ok. Pray about it. He will give you the strength to get started, just like He did for me. He wants us to shine brightly for Him, He doesn’t want us to stay hidden.

Prayers & Love Always