A Tree Planted by the Water

I’ve noticed two very different reactions in my life when difficult seasons or trials arise. I will either draw near to the Lord, amp up my Bible reading and prayer time, and immerse myself in the Word, or I will withdraw from the Lord’s hand, neglect reading my Bible, and offer short, half-hearted prayers, unsure if the Lord is listening.

The last three months have been extremely challenging and faith stretching. As I was reading through James, I was reminded that trials are our pathway to maturity.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

So, if I’m currently in the middle of a trial, then it must be for my good and the Lord must have a purpose in mind to mature me. After reading the passage in James, I asked God to really use this difficult season to knit my heart closer to His and help me become a more mature believer. He answered my prayer by reminding me of the importance of His Word and that I should not neglect reading it during a trial. In fact, His word is what sustains us when we’re walking through a difficult season.

In Psalm 1, David explains that “[Blessed is the man whose] delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:2-3

The man is blessed because he delights in the law of the Lord and is thinking about it day and night. The law of the Lord enables him to bear fruit in season and not wither up out of season.

A similar metaphor is used in Jeremiah, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He 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.” Jeremiah 17: 7-8

The man who trusts in the Lord is like a tree planted by the water. It does not fear when bad circumstances are present–like heat or drought. It never fails to bear fruit. Oh, to be a tree like that–no matter what my circumstances are, I never fail to bear fruit.

Let us not be like the foolish man who heard God’s word but did not put it into practice. Jesus likened this man to a fool who built his house on the sand. “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:27. Instead, we are to be like the wise man who heard Jesus’ words and put them into practice. He built his house on the rock and when the storm beat against the house, it did not fall because it had a firm foundation. Matthew 7:24-25

How do we put God’s word into practice while we’re walking through the valley? By diligently reading the Bible, allowing God’s words to build up our faith and confidence in His promises and character, and permitting those promises to shape how we view our circumstances and react to the storms in our lives. If we are truly delighting in and meditating on the law of the Lord, then we will have built our house on a firm foundation and be able to weather the storm.

We can be like a tree planted by a stream of water that continues to bear fruit despite the sweltering heat or the scorching drought. God’s word enables us to withstand the trials in our lives by building our faith and our trust in Him alone. Let us not neglect His word. I pray we would view God’s word as David did, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103