“The tree fell!”

Those were the words I heard from the next room while I was standing at the kitchen sink.

It was a beautiful, sunny, but windy day. The sun was streaming through the window, and I could hear the wind blowing outside. For a moment, the noise level increased. I assumed it was just another strong gust, so I kept washing dishes.

Then came the announcement: “The tree fell!”

A seemingly healthy evergreen tree in our neighbor’s yard had been toppled by the wind.

The problem wasn’t the wind. The problem was the tree’s roots.

Its root system was too weak to withstand the force of the wind.

Paul gives us a similar picture of our faith in Colossians 2:6-7:

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him and let your lives be built on him, then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

Life is going to bring some strong winds. Sometimes they come as unexpected problems. Sometimes they come through disappointment, loss, uncertainty, or change. And sometimes the winds of life seem to come out of nowhere. We can’t always control the wind, but we can decide how deeply we are rooted.

A tree with deep roots is much less likely to be toppled by a strong wind. In the same way, a faith deeply rooted in Christ and grounded in God’s Word gives us something to hold on to when the storms of life arrive.

So how do we strengthen our roots? Here are 4 suggestions.

1. Spend time in God’s Word. Make this a daily practice.
2. Spend time in prayer.
3. Remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness. Make a list of the times God has been faithful in keeping promises to you.
4. Cultivate an attitude of thankfulness. Make a list of the reasons you have to be thankful.

The winds of life will blow. We can’t always prevent the storms or control what happens around us, but we can make sure our roots are growing deep into Christ.

So today, spend some time fertilizing your faith’s root system.

Open God’s Word. Pray. Remember His faithfulness. Look for His blessings.

And give thanks.

Because when the winds blow, deep roots make all the difference.