The Root of Peace

There is, what seems to be, an endless amount of discussion from Genesis to Revelation about trees and the meanings we can derive from their existence. So I keep going back to the tree, blindly following it's contours to see what it will teach me within it's branches and roots. 

This verse in Jeremiah has become familiar to me:

"Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord."

Jeremiah 17:5

It would occur to me in various political seasons or moments when humanity seemed to be hopeless creatures in general. But more recently I have read this passage as if it were speaking directly into myself. 

Cursed are [you] who put [your] trust in [yourself], who rely on [your own] strength and turn [your] heart away from the Lord.

 But then the promise...

"But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep in the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8

When I rely on myself, I am in constant panic and worry. I turn fragile and like a dried up tree, become stunted in my growth and certainly do not produce anything for His glory. Often when a drought comes, I see it as an excuse to just survive. But God calls me to something greater. He not only wants me to survive the drought--to not even be bothered by it's scorching heat--but produce fruit while I'm at it.

This requires more than I can withstand on my own. To let go of the incessant planning and simply sit with God's word. To stop all of the hand-wringing and lift them up instead.  To close my eyes when I want to look at every angle of each problem one more time.  

"Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:7

The realization that struck me as I was reading this verse over and over was this simple truth: if I am peaceful, I stop striving. I stop trying to fill the void with whatever unhealthy fixation can distract me momentarily. When I am peaceful, all barriers are stripped away and my heart and mind are able to work for Jesus, to produce fruit. The only way for me to be peaceful when drought comes is plant my roots by His stream, again and again, until finally I'm not bothered by the heat.