by Brandon Cox: Pine trees grow fast. That’s why pine is the cheapest of woods to purchase for building projects. Pine tree farms can raise a crop of trees to maturity in a decade.

The strength of a pine tree is also its greatest weakness. It grows fast because its roots are shallow, but when the winds blow, the pines are easily uprooted.

Oak trees, on the other hand, take much longer to grow to maturity because their roots grow down deep, twisting and intertwining in the soil beneath before reaching further up. And when the winds blow, oak trees remain standing.

We are far too easily satisfied with surface-level living. We sink our roots into the security of our bank and retirement accounts, our employment status, and the physical assets we’ve acquired. We settle for conflict-free happiness on the surface while denying the reality of our pain and sealing off, deep in our hearts, our biggest questions about God, ourselves, and others.

God wants to take you deeper today. Deeper into the reality of his goodness. Deeper into the recesses of your own heart where real, lasting healing needs to occur. Deeper into the solid soil of scriptural truth about who you are, how the world works, and God’s plan to redeem all things for his glory forever.

As the Apostle Paul instructed us:

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.

~ Colossians 2:6-7 NLT

Never stop going deeper. Keep following Jesus. Build your life, your values, your faith, your joy on things that outlast the moment. Sink your roots into your relationship with Jesus Christ today.