It was one of the final days of summer, and my husband and I were sitting outside on the patio enjoying the cool breeze. As I stared into our back yard, I was mesmerized by the swaying of one tree in particular. It was younger, and it’s trunk was quite a bit thinner than the older more mature trees surrounding it. As the winds increased, the tree trunk bent more in response. At one point, it appeared it would break, but it never did.
My husband said it reminded him of how palm trees bend during a hurricane, but they don’t break. Their leafy canopy allows air to filter through; and their special root system equips them to not only withstand extremely high winds, but to actually spread out and grow stronger roots in response to the storm. The more storms the palm tree encounters, the stronger its root system grows.
This made me think about how we develop spiritually. Once we enter into a relationship with God, we experience a new sense of fulfillment and joy. We may be so laser focused on our new heavenly relationship, that we barely feel the impact of minor earthly disappointments or inconveniences. This is the beginning stage of our faith. In some ways, it is immature like a young palm tree that barely sways against the impact of a gentle breeze.
However, the newer we are to living a life surrendered to Christ, the more fragile are our faith roots. Like the young palm tree, when the storms of life blow in, we are vulnerable and start to bend. If we begin doubting that God is really in control, our worry can spiral into anxiety or depression. We may even feel we’ve reached our breaking point. So how do we bend without breaking?
We find answers in Ephesians 3:17 (NLT)
“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
Life Application~
Similar to the maturing palm tree, the second part of this verse in Ephesians explains that when our faith takes root in God’s love, we grow stronger. However, the beginning part of the verse states that we must take the first step. Notice it says, “Christ will make his home in your hearts AS YOU TRUST IN HIM.” In other words, trusting in Christ first activates our ability to receive Him fully in our hearts. Then we can respond to situations with confidence knowing He’s working behind the scenes on our behalf.
Learning ways to TRUST IN HIM takes our faith into the next phase, allowing us to bend and not break in the face of trials. If you are in a season of doubt that is making it difficult for you to trust in Him, below are a few practical action steps that can help:
Guard your heart:
- Find a group of Christ-minded friends or a prayer group to be your prayer warriors. Ask them to pray with you and for you.
- Find time daily after prayer to sit in silence. Ask for God’s strength and listen for His guidance.
- Be attentive to the desires the Holy Spirit places on your heart, and write them in a prayer journal.
Protect your mind:
- Immerse yourself in the positive by giving yourself distance away (as much as possible) from negative people and negative social or news media.
- Listen to podcasts or music that inspires and encourages you.
- Start your day reading a devotion and/or the Bible. This allows you to fix your mind on Christ, and fill your thoughts with the truth about God. Remember He is bigger than your problems.
Stretch your roots:
- Step out of your comfort zone. When the Holy Spirit calls you to share your story or offer compassion to someone in need, obey!
- Seek out a Christian community. Join a new Bible study. Surround yourself with others who passionately walk the walk and not just talk the talk. They will encourage you and hold you accountable.
- Try something new or pray about something daily that is impossible without God. Write it down, and then put it in God’s hands. The more you experience the “impossible” with God, the stronger your faith roots will grow.
Prayer~
Heavenly Father, forgive me for not always trusting you with my whole heart. I need help stretching outside of my comfort zone and relying solely on you. Today, I choose to take a leap of faith and trust you to do what only you can do. Because of my trust in you Lord, I may bend but never break. In Jesus’ Holy name, Amen.
By: Angel Slawinski
