What Bare Branches Can Teach Us about Trust - The Crosswalk Devotional - October 19
What Bare Branches Can Teach Us about Trust
By Sarah Frazer
Bible Reading:
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.” - Jeremiah 17:7
Every season, I take a quick snapshot of the tree in our front yard. We’ve only lived in our house for a few years, but this tree was obviously planted a decade or more ago. It looms over half of our yard and into the neighbor's yard. I take a picture because as the earth rotates and the weather shifts from cold to warm and then back again, my tree changes. I love every single season of this tree! It is the same tree year-round, but it looks different depending on the weather!
The cycles of trees are not new to those of us who live in a climate that has all four seasons. We know that in the spring, small buds appear and green begins to grow. In summer, trees are filled with flowers and fruit. As fall moves in with colder winds and rain, the tree’s leaves change color and drop to the earth. Winter strips the tree of all color and beauty.
Snow might make the tree look magical, but let’s be honest. This sweet tree in my front yard is not the prettiest during the winter when the branches are barren. As I think about my tree, I can’t help but think of Jeremiah’s tree in the Old Testament. Jeremiah was a prophet filled with sorrow and heartache. He preached during a time of political turmoil and spiritual idolatry. The nation of Judah was on the brink of collapse. Israel had already fallen. The prophet foresees the destruction of the beautiful city of Jerusalem and tries to warn the people. In the midst of his voice of condemnation, we find pockets of hope.
In the middle of Jeremiah 17, we read about a tree. For several chapters, Jeremiah has spoken up about the coming famine, sword, and pestilence waiting for God’s people. Because of their own sin (Jeremiah 17:1-4), they will now have to face the consequences and punishment. For centuries, God has been patient and kind with them, but now He must punish evil. God says that if they return to Him, he will rescue them, but instead, we read that they want to trust in their own abilities and help from outside the people of Israel (Jeremiah 17:5-6).
Still, even though doom is coming, God makes a way for His people to find grace, mercy, and hope! Jeremiah 17:7-8 says:
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Maybe you feel like your world is in turmoil, filled with unknowns, heartaches, grief, and loneliness. I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the hardest struggles of my life, I can’t even fathom how fruit or flowers can grow in my life. There have been periods of weeks, months, and yes, even years, where I have been so weary that my life feels so unproductive.
I get up, do the bare minimum, and fall into bed each night with not much to show. My house remains messy, my Bible gets dusty on the nightstand, and prayer feels so hollow. How can Jeremiah promise that if we trust the Lord, we will not be anxious, cease to bear fruit, and never fail to have green leaves? How is this even possible during times that feel so barren?
When life is turned inside out, and grief lies like a heavy fog, none of that feels true. Can I tell you a secret? In God’s kingdom and His economy, times of hardship can actually produce fruit!
Notice that first Jeremiah says, “trust in the Lord” twice! That isn’t a typo, but an emphasis. During what might seem like fruitless seasons, our only job is to trust. Friend, let me encourage you that trust is not a feeling but a choice. When everything around us is out of control, God’s sovereignty is not. We trust both God’s character and we trust His control.
The next part of verse seven and verse eight tells us what will happen when we trust. I love that all of these things are not something we muster up or have to do. Remember, all God is asking from us is trust. The original Hebrew word for “trust” means to be bold, confident, and secure. Because we place our faith in God, we have roots, green leaves, and fruit.
The roots are the most important thing about trees. Strong roots anchor the tree so that winds and storms don’t topple it. The roots also provide nutrition. During the winter and cold months, when the branches are bare, the roots are still growing. The tree doesn’t have to provide nutrients to the leaves and fruit, so all of its energy is spent on growing deeper roots. During our winter seasons, as we trust God and lean into Him for strength, reading the Word and praying, we find that our faith is still growing!
On the outside, it might look as if we are barren, empty, and nonproductive. But times of quiet, simple communion with God actually bring about the most productive fruit! Charles Spurgeon said, “Storms help to make the sailors sturdy, and trials help to make Christians strong in faith."
Do not look at your time with “barren branches” as unfruitful. God is working in your life. Just because you can’t see how, you can trust that your tree is by the living waters of God. Psalm 1:3 says that those who delight in God’s Word and meditate on it will be “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Some seasons of life look fruitful; others feel like bare branches. But God may be doing His deepest work in places you can see. Instead of measuring this season by what you are accomplishing, consider where your roots are growing. Where is God asking you to trust Him right now? What might He be growing beneath the surface that you cannot yet see?
Further Reading:
Psalm 1:1-3
John 15:4-5
Colossians 2:6-7
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
James 1:2-4
Join the conversation! Share how today’s devotional encouraged or challenged you in your walk with Christ.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/AlessandroPhoto
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