WELL ROOTED

“Unsettling or shaking times in our lives do the necessary work of dislodging faulty foundations and stripping away that which can never sustain.”

Lori Riner, Inspirational Intelligence

Healthy, strong roots are vital. They provide the foundation for a tree or plant. Root systems can extend nearly as deep below the surface as a tree stands above. Laterally, roots can grow to three times a tree’s branch spread and even equidistant to its height. The deepest roots known are that of a wild fig tree at Echo Caves in South Africa, its roots reaching a depth of 400 feet. That is deep! A tree in deep, well drained soil will develop deep roots. But a tree in shallow, compacted soil may struggle to develop deep roots, making it susceptible to wind throw and severe drought. The roots we develop in our lives are also important.

Through the process of photosynthesis plants use water, carbon dioxide, and light to produce new organic matter. During seasons of drought and limited water supply, different mechanisms allow for survival and continued growth. Interestingly, trees most susceptible to drought conditions are those with shallow roots, those that tolerate heavy clays, and those that tolerate poor soil. 

Unhealthy tolerations can also make us vulnerable. Are there bad habits being tolerated because it’s too hard to make a change? Is there sin that needs to be addressed? Perhaps, we are tolerating toxic relationships that draw us away from the things of Christ. We can even find ourselves tolerating an over-scheduled lifestyle that keeps us too tired to pursue the things God has for our lives. Ask God to show you tolerations that may be keeping you from His best. Commit to address them in His strength.

Unsettling or shaking times in our lives do the necessary work of dislodging faulty foundations and stripping away that which can never sustain. When we build on wrong beliefs, misguided assumptions, fears, and even tradition, we piece together a fractured footing from limited human understanding. God challenges those places that will keep us in bondage, stuck, and held back from moving in the direction of the destiny He has prepared for us. Inadequate foundations will not provide the support we need to be all God has called us to in life. They may serve us for a season but they will not serve us long term. The only foundation capable of supporting us through every storm, through both success and failure, is the foundation built on the reality of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the sure foundation that will never fail us, never forsake us, and never leave us. He is the only foundation we can fully trust.