Deep roots in God
When life gets turbulent, we can rely on our unbreakable relation to God, good, to bring strength that keeps us moving forward.
I live in a forest of giant trees (the second-tallest tree species in the world). One of these trees had to be removed from a garden bed right next to our home. As each of the enormous trunk sections fell, they landed with such force that the whole house shook. I noticed there was a little group of plants that were being completely flattened with each log landing.
As this bed began to recover over time, I was amazed to see that those plants had survived and their roots were still working and pushing for growth. I marveled at their meek and silent victory. Today, that bed is so thick with those plants I can barely walk through it.
Most of us have faced a challenge where we felt crushed under the pressure of circumstances. But even in this space, our inherent spiritual roots remain active and strong.
In the Bible, a man named Joseph faced family betrayal, enslavement, slander by a petty superior, and unjust imprisonment. Regardless of the crushing blows, he still maintained his faith in God, good. This enabled him to emerge from the ordeals safely and with great blessings and more spiritual vigor.
We may face daunting circumstances, but through faith, meekness, love, and asking God for inspiration to buoy us, we can feel the support of our spiritual roots, which are ever active under the surface. In this way, even in our most difficult times, we can absorb God’s spiritual nutrients – qualities such as strength, joy, and peace, which God expresses in all His children. This enables us to feel God’s presence sustaining and strengthening us when we need it most.
No amount of disturbance on the surface can affect our infinitely deep roots in God. In reality, there’s nothing that can separate us from God’s, Love’s, all-presence. We are made in the very image of God, Spirit – which means, as Christian Science explains, we are and have always been spiritual, intact, safe.
Through prayer we can become more aware of our unity with God, infinite good, even in the lowest moments. As the Psalmist says, “If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me” (Psalms 139:11). And like Joseph and those little plants, when the weight has been lifted, we will emerge even stronger.
Adapted from the Oct. 31, 2022, Christian Science Daily Lift podcast.