“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…” Colossians 2:6-7

I have a large Bird of Paradise plant in the corner of my living room near a window. I brought it inside last winter, and it did so well that I haven’t taken it back outside. About three weeks ago, while sitting in my living room, I was startled to hear an unexpected loud snapping sound. Upon investigating where the sound came from, I found that one of the plant’s large leaves had gotten too heavy and had snapped at the base. It was the largest leaf was huge, measuring about 18 x 10 inches, with a beautiful, healthy, deep green color, which made me sad that it had broken off. Not wanting to discard the broken branch yet, I submerged the stem into the soil, and it gave the appearance that it had never been broken.

While no one else could tell that the branch had been broken off and was separated from the root, I knew that it had. I was surprised when the leaf didn’t immediately die. I wondered if somehow it was getting nutrients and water from the soil, but knew that couldn’t be possible since it wasn’t attached to the root. Sure enough, three weeks later, it began to turn yellow, then orange, and eventually brown and withered. It clearly stood out from the other leaves and had to be discarded.

You see, roots are not optional for a plant. They are essential. They anchor the plant in place, draw up water and nutrients from the soil, and support growth. Without healthy roots, a plant may still look alive for a while, but eventually it withers.

The same is true for us as believers. When we show up in church, we might smile and appear to be spiritually healthy, but eventually, if we are not firmly connected to the root, we will begin to wither just like my plant leaf did. We must be connected to Christ as our source. Our only source.

Jesus used this concept when He spoke about abiding in Him. In John 15:5, He said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Though He uses the imagery of a vine here, the principle is the same; without being connected to the source, there’s no life. While we may show up to church regularly with a smile in place, thinking we are okay, the truth is, apart from Christ, we are never okay. My plant looked perfectly fine for weeks. But appearing alive and actually having life are two completely different things. Beneath the surface, that broken branch that seemed to be alive for a few weeks was actually dying all along because it was not connected to the root system.

A question we all need to ask ourselves is “What is going on beneath the surface in my life?”

To be rooted in Christ means to draw our identity, our strength, our direction, and our sustenance from Him. It means we don’t simply visit Him on Sundays or pray only when we’re experiencing hardship and difficulty. Being rooted in Him is a daily, moment-by-moment connection, like roots constantly drawing life from deep soil. Does this describe you beneath the surface of the self that others see on the outside?

Stop for a moment and ponder another question: “What are you rooted in?” The truth is, everyone is rooted in something. It could be success, approval, relationships, politics, or comfort. But these roots don’t go deep enough. When drought comes…or when life doesn’t go as planned…shallow roots won’t sustain you.

Being rooted in Christ means our life is sustained by grace, nourished by truth, and anchored in love. It’s about Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith, being rooted and established in love, as Paul noted in Ephesians 3:17. It’s not about being perfect or looking that way on the surface. It’s about staying connected.

So, how can we cultivate deep roots in Christ? It’s about remaining connected to Him in all areas of our life, not just on a surface level, but deeply.

Ask yourself the following questions to see how well you are connected to Him in the following areas:

Do I regularly spend time in the Word? Scripture is living and active. We should let it shape our thoughts, guide our steps, and remind us who we are.

Do I practice praying continually? We should talk to God like we would a close friend. Not just about what we need, but about who He is.

Do I worship Him fully? Worship isn’t just music. It’s surrender. We should align our hearts with His, even when life is hard.

Do I embrace Christian community?  Roots often intertwine underground. We should surround ourselves with people who are also rooted in Christ. They’ll support us when life shakes us.

Do I allow God to regularly prune those areas of my life that are not rooted in Him and not producing fruit? As John 15:2 tells us, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Surrendering to be pruned will always produce more fruit in our lives. The best kind. The spiritual kind. More love. More joy. More peace. More patience. More kindness. More goodness. More faithfulness. More gentleness. And more self-control.

Do I practice trust? We should let go of our need to be in control of everything. Trusting Jesus anchors us deeper in His peace.

Remember, a plant doesn’t have to try hard to bear fruit; it just has to stay rooted. In the same way, we don’t grow by striving harder, but by staying connected to Christ.

As Jeremiah 17:7-8 tells us, “But blessed is the one 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.” An almost verbatim scripture can also be found in Psalm 1. Being planted in Christ means we are planted near Living Water and are sustained and rooted in Him…and as a result, our leaves are always green and do not wither, unlike the unattached branch in my living room.

So today, ask yourself: Where are your roots? Are they shallow and easily disturbed, or are they pressing deeper into Jesus? Choose to sink your roots into Him. Be determined to let your life be like that tree.

Stay rooted. Stay nourished. Stay in Him.

Ardently His,

Leah

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