Get to your roots

Plants need strong, healthy root systems to thrive. Those with weak or damaged roots can still grow, but they won't be able to reach their full potential or withstand stress as well. The good news is that the plants can be treated and the roots encouraged to grow stronger. Some plants suffer from root rot. Once the problem has been identified, the roots need to be washed clean, the bad parts cut away, and the plant repotted in fresh soil.

Our lives need healthy root structures too. Flawed roots produce flawed fruit, like feelings of inferiority, worthlessness, anger, inability to trust and fear of intimacy. If our root system contains things like rejection, past mistakes and painful experiences, we need to bring them out into the open and treat them.

We can be healed with God's help: 'I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love' (Ephesians 3:16-17 CEV).



So what now? Emotional healing is a process. Strong roots require three things: (1) Time to grow. Becoming confident in your identity as God's child is like breaking in new shoes; you have to walk in them until they become comfortable. (2) Protection from harm. Surround yourself with people who build you up; who share the same faith (see 2 Peter 1:1). (3) Spiritual nourishment. Pray and feed regularly from God's word (see Job 23:12). God wants to see you deeply rooted, confident and free.





— SCRIPTURE —

'Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love.' Ephesians 3:17 CEV
— SOULFOOD —

1 Cor 9:24-27, Num 6:1-8, Pro 25:28