Roots of Resilience

The Slow Work of Grace

Day 3

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
They 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.”
— Jeremiah 17:7–8

When I was a kid, my dad and I went backpacking quit a bit.  One of my favorite trails followed a mountain creek.  I still remember the small trees that lined that little creek.   Surrounded by rocks and shifting sand those trees seemed to thrive.  Their strength is hidden below the surface — deep roots reaching for what the eye can’t see.

That image has stayed with me through many seasons of recovery. Growth doesn’t always look impressive from the outside. In fact, some of the strongest progress happens underground — in the quiet, unseen spaces where trust takes hold.

For families and loved ones walking alongside someone in recovery, this can be one of the hardest truths to embrace: we don’t always see the change right away. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. God is nurturing roots of resilience — patient endurance, honest faith, the courage to stay.

What matters most is where our roots reach. When our confidence is in the Lord, even the dry seasons can’t destroy us. There’s a quiet strength that comes from trusting His timing, and over time, that hidden trust becomes visible hope.

Prayer for your day.

Lord, teach me to trust the work You are doing beneath the surface. When progress feels slow, help me remember that deep roots take time. Strengthen me — and those I love — to remain planted by Your living water. Amen.