I have been watching a plant that sits on top of my desk for a few weeks. I think I finally have seen what has had this feeble mind boggled.
The plant is healthy. It has grown to the point that I had to transplant it over the summer. It continued to thrive even after it was settled into its new pot. But then it began to flop over after a while. I would prop it back up, pat the soil down more firmly around the base of the plant and put in pencils to support it and keep it standing. Yes, pencils – it sits on top of my desk so I have used what was handy 🙂 Yet it continued to flop.
This morning I read this verse:
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7, NLT)
I wonder how many of us have had this backwards?
Do we tend to think our faith must grow or be big in order to grow and have lives that are strengthened? But that is faulty thinking.
The root system of a plant is critical. Roots:
- suck water and nutrients up out of the soil and into the plant causing growth.
- hold the soil in place so that the plant will not be washed away.
Roots are the lifeline of the plant, providing for the needs of the plant while offering the plant the stability it needs much like an anchor.
Same is true for us. Our roots need to go deep in Christ. It is from Him that we get all we need each day to be spiritually fed, nourished and strengthened. He offers us the stability so that life won’t cause us to flop down and around.
As our roots deepen and our lives built on Him, then our faith grows. And from that growth also comes a heart of gratitude.
Paul also put it this way:
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. (Ephesians 3:17, NLT)
Again, as we trust Him, our roots grow down and keep us strong.
Now back to my plant….
I stood up from my desk this morning after reading these verses to look at it. I discovered that the roots had somehow made their way to just below the surface of the soil. In essence, they had not grown deep but shallow instead. So later this morning, I will get more soil and try to help this poor plant out by deepening its roots.
Want your faith to grow?
Tend to your roots. Be sure they go deep in Him.
“Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Roots. Really. Do. Matter.
Today I joined….. Hear It, Use it and Sharing His Beauty and Inspire Me Mon. and Motivation Mon. and Mommy Mon. and Making Your Home Sing and Mon. Musings and The Modest Mom and Living Proverbs 31 and Playdates with God and We Start Mondays Together .
Love this! Our Christian growth is a process; it may take a lifetime to live out our faith, But our focus must be on growth and transformation! Love this…”As our roots deepen and our lives built on Him, then our faith grows. And from that growth also comes a heart of gratitude.”
Blessings and hugs!
Denise
It really will take a lifetime – ours. Thank you for stopping here & sharing as well.
What a great analogy! I have found a few of my spiritual roots need a bit more depth lately and bloggers like you really help!
Blessings!
Pam
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Thank you so much for stopping here. And for the book recommendation. A to Z is on my list to read very soon 🙂
Wonderful analogy. It’s also a great reminder that appearances can be deceiving. Just because you look okay on the outside, doesn’t mean your roots are deep enough.
P.S. I have a plant that looks just like yours. I use bamboo skewers (like your pencils, they were something I had on hand) to keep it from folding over under its own weight.
Bamboo skewers – what a great idea! I am going to try that! So glad your plant needs to be propped as well 🙂 And great insight on appearances do not mean that roots necessarily have grown deeply. Thank you for visiting & sharing here today!
I love this post, and thank you so much for sharing it at Motivation Monday! You got me thinking about how important having deep roots in our lives really is. To me building roots is about building community, whether it’s in real life, online, or a combination of both depending on our needs and circumstances.
Barb – I love your comment that roots can also represent building community. Thank you so much for sharing that!