Weathering Life’s Storms
Storm Éowyn swept across Scotland and Ireland yesterday.
Walking through Dunfermline’s Public Park this morning, I saw lots of evidence of fallen trees.
Some uprooted trees had shallow roots, lacking depth.
I wondered if they’d have withstood the storm had their roots been deeper.
Similarly, each of us faces life’s winds and storms.
When adversity strikes, are you prepared to endure?
Seedlings fall, but only some flourish and grow into mighty trees.
Growth requires time, effort, perseverance, setbacks and adaptation.
“But unlike trees, we can choose to deliberately develop the spiritual root structure for our lives. We decide where to set our roots and how deeply to sink them into the soil. Daily decisions make tiny, almost imperceptible differences in the roots of our faith, the effect of which becomes foundational,” says L. Whitney Clayton.
In the Book of Mormon, Alma likened the word of God to a seed and spoke of nourishing its growth into a tree:
“And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.” (Alma 32:37-38.)
I testify that as we weather life’s storms, we are strengthened by learning of Jesus Christ.
Rooting ourselves deeply in His gospel and exercising faith in Him will fortify us against life’s winds and storms.
What steps can you take today to deepen your spiritual roots and prepare for the storms ahead?