“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jer 17:7-8)

Most of Oklahoma, but especially the area in southwestern Oklahoma where I grew up, is experiencing extreme drought right now. Less than a year ago, we had one of the wettest summers on record. It rained so much that I couldn’t keep up with the yard work. When it finally stopped raining long enough for me to mow, the thick grass was so tall and wet from the rain that it was hard to get the mower through it.

That’s not the case right now. Spring has only just begun, but even so, few blades of grass poke their heads through the hard, cracked earth. The world around me is full of brown, brittle, dead grass or splotches of dry, cracked earth.

Often, we experience times of drought in our own lives. Perhaps we’ve focused on our circumstances and turned our eyes away from God. Maybe we’re struggling with a difficult decision, an addiction, marital or relationship issues, or a child who has strayed. As the verse above says, when we trust in the Lord and place our roots in him, we have nothing to fear. But what does it mean to be rooted in the Lord? How we can send our roots deeper?

1. Read God’s word. When we read his word, we make a conscious effort to understand God and what he is saying to us. Reading the Bible regularly gives us hope, strengthens our faith, and provides freedom. When we read God’s word, we should ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth to us.
2. When we pray, we maintain an open line of communication with God. Prayer gives us an opportunity to focus on others instead of ourselves. Prayer provides us with encouragement, discernment, and direction. Even science supports the benefits of prayer (read article in Psychology Today.)
3. Connect with other believers. Going to church is a good thing, but connecting with other believers is even better. Volunteer at church, join a Bible study or small group, or start a group yourself. You shouldn’t limit yourself to inviting only those in the same church as you – the idea is to bring like-minded people of all backgrounds together who have a common goal of learning more about God and supporting each other along your journey.

When we develop deep roots in the Lord, we will see the fruit of that experience manifest itself in our lives. No matter where you are in life right now, you can continue to grow in faith and trust in the Lord. After all, this life is a journey with ebbs and flows – we never stop learning and growing. If you’re feeling the effects of drought in your life, ask the Lord to show you the steps to take to alleviate that drought today.

Dear Jesus, thank you that we can draw closer to you when life is overwhelming. Help our roots to grow deep so that the storms of life will not wash away our faith. Show us the best way in this moment to develop those roots. Amen.