Roots

Roots

They are like a tree planted beside the watersthat stretches out its roots to the stream:It does not fear heat when it comes,its leaves stay green;In the year of drought it shows no distress,but still produces fruit.~ Jeremiah 17:8

Without roots, no plant or tree could survive. They would not be able to grow and bear fruit as well. The roots are where the plant or tree gets it nourishment, water, and keeps it grounded. Faith is very similar because it needs to have roots so it can survive as well. We need to nourish our faith so it too may grow and bear fruit. Also having roots for our faith, it will help it stay in place when the troubles and storms come our way. 

    Our faith needs to be nourished and when we have our roots planted deep in Jesus’ teachings, God’s word and the traditions of our religion, it will be. Roots search out for the things that will nourish the plant and will travels out in different directions to find it. We also need to do the same for our faith. Go out and find what nourishes it. Tap into those things or people that will help it grow. 

    What we need to understand is that there in not just one way to nourish our faith. There are many ways and you can draw from them all the time and even multiple times. There is not just one root of a tree that looks for the water and nourishment but many. If there was only one then it would not grow. It would be more of luck if it did because it is limiting it’s chances for growth. Now, with many roots it is increasing it’s chances of finding it. Try out a parish mission. Maybe look into a bible study program. Join a prayer group. Read the bible. Try different churches. Learn about the Saints. Pray the rosary. Read the catechism. There is so much out there for us to draw from. 

    When our faith is getting nourished by those things we have put our roots, it grows stronger. Have you ever been walking and you see in front of you the sidewalk all messed up?  Part of the sidewalk is lifted up because of the roots from the tree by it. That is the power of roots. It has the strength to move those things blocking it from getting the nourishment it needs. When our faith is strengthened and grows it forces those blockages that are in our way. We are able to move the doubts away and move on. When hard times or a storm come we are able to get though it better when we have our roots planted in the truth. We are able to draw from our roots and get nourished by what we have learned and gained from the growth. Yes, we may get bent in a new direction, even snap in some areas but we still can hold on because of our roots. 

    Not all of our roots will find that nourishment and sometimes they may find some things that do not nourish but that is where discernment comes into play. Everything is not always good for our own personal  faith and you have to know when to cut off that root so others may grow in its place. Only you know what is helping your faith grow and produce fruit. 

     Once that seed of faith is planted in us, it takes root. We have to make sure that we are taking care of our faith so it will grow and produce fruit. When  our faith produces fruit it allows others to be nourished and use the seeds from that fruit to grow in them as well. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and let the roots of your faith grow out and deep.