Rooted Beyond the Season

In episode 16 of WordFed Life, Verlene Cromwell explores what it means to be rooted beyond the season by trusting in God's unchanging presence. Anchored in Jeremiah 17:7-8, "Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the waters 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," this episode paints a vivid picture of steadfast faith: faith that remains fruitful through every season. God never promised there would be no heat or drought. Instead, He promised that those who trust Him would remain fruitful. That changes everything. The blessing is not the absence of hardship. The blessing is the presence of God. Roots grow where no one sees. God is more interested in your roots than your fruit. We often pray for visible results, but God begins on the ground. Roots develop in hidden places. Prayer grows roots. Time in God's Word grows roots. Obedience grows roots. Trust grows roots. Many people want fruit without first developing roots. The purpose of the heat, Jeremiah says, is to test us. Every believer will experience seasons of testing, but the rooted believer does not fear. Their source is the living water. Three things healthy roots do: Roots provide stability. Storms may shake the branches, but roots keep the tree standing. Roots provide nourishment. Spiritually, we draw strength through prayer, worship, God's word, and the Holy Spirit. Roots provide endurance. The tree continues to bear fruit even during drought. Your season does not determine your fruitfulness. Your connection to Christ does. We have to stay connected to Christ, to the vine. Paul gives us another beautiful picture in Colossians 2:6-7. He says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him. Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith." Notice the order. Rooted first. Built up second. A personal reflection. Some of the hardest seasons of my life were when my roots grew the deepest. God was strengthening my roots. Sometimes, the season you are trying to escape is the very season God is using to establish you. Some questions to consider: Where are your roots planted? Are you rooted in God's promises or in your circumstances? Are your roots reaching towards fear or towards faith? Are you spending enough time in God's presence to sustain you when difficult seasons come? Because whatever your roots are connected to will determine the fruit your life produces. Let this declaration guide you: "My faith is rooted beyond the season. I will not be shaken by life's storms. My roots draw strength from the living water. I will bear fruit in every season, because God is my source." Welcome to WordFed Life — where words come alive.