Deep Roots of Faith

Jeremiah 17:8

 “He is like a tree planted by water,
    that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
    for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
    for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

When my journey with Christ first began, I spent countless early mornings, sitting on my front porch, coffee in hand, gazing at my own “Tree of Life” — a Bradford Pear that stood tall despite the storms and heat that passed through each season. Though this type of tree was known to be structurally weak, mine seemed unshakable. As each season brought its own challenges with harsh winds, sudden storms, and scorching summers, the Bradford Pear remained, as a testament to the hidden work happening beneath the surface. No one could see the roots weaving their way deeper into the earth, anchoring the tree and drawing life even when the visible world grew harsh.

Life, too, brings its share of storms and looking back on my life, I can recall times when the world felt parched and brittle, where days were heavy with uncertainty and nights were overshadowed by worry. But in those seasons, I found myself turning to the gentle invitation of God – seeking the living water of His presence and allowing my trust to burrow deep beneath the surface of my circumstances.

Jeremiah 17:8 offers this gentle picture of what it means to belong to God. We are invited to let our roots find their way to Living Water – fear loses its grip, and worry fades even in the year of drought. Our leaves remain green. Our lives become fruitful—not because we are immune to hardship, but because our hope is anchored in something eternal.

As I reflect on those early days and the seasons since, I realize how often I have underestimated the quiet work of faith. It is tempting to wish for instant transformation, to crave visible growth or a sudden deliverance from hardship. But the ways of God are often subtle, inviting us to patience and persistence. The roots of faith, after all, are formed in places no one else can see – in the solitary prayers whispered in the dark, in the small acts of obedience woven through ordinary days, and in the steady return to hope when everything around us seems barren.

Sometimes, it takes a season of drought or storms to reveal just how deep our roots have grown. With each challenge, our faith is strengthened. The promise of Jeremiah 17:8 is not that we will be spared from difficulty, but that we will flourish through it, our souls anchored by the Living Water.