Your Roots Determine Your Results

How does a flower relate to our faith? Consider this analogy...

A flower starts as a seed that is planted in the ground. It is watered daily. Roots develop and anchor the flower underground so that it can grow above ground. Only once fully developed, the petals open, as if arms towards the sky.
 
In a similar way, we learn about God’s plan and promises from the Word. This plants a seed in our hearts. Our faith takes root and develops as we meditate on God’s Word and it becomes the anchor of our soul. It's only when our faith is developed to the point where the promise becomes revelation knowledge in our own hearts, that we are in a position to receive (arms up - petals open) what grace has provided.
 
There are several key points here.
 
First, the foundations must be sturdy and anchored in something strong, consistent, and unchanging. It would be difficult, and maybe impossible, to hold a heavy box while you are teetering on the edge of a rickety old chair. In the same way, our faith foundation needs to be sturdy before we are ready for the next step.

Second, the type of seed that you sow is what you reap. For example, we can't plant corn seeds and expect a harvest of wheat. In the same way, we can't sow seeds (by thinking, watching, listening to and reading things) that are outside of God's Word and expect to see God's promises manifest in our lives. 
 
Third, just like the flower gets its nutrition through the roots, so too our spirit is also fed by what we are rooted in. What we feed on the most is what our faith will be based on. Did you know that fear is actually a type of faith? It is a belief that something different than God’s plan will happen. If we constantly meditate on things that don’t line up with the Word, then that is what we will have faith in. We want to focus on the Word so that our faith is feeding on the right food.
 
Fourth, the root determines location or alignment. You don’t usually see flowers growing at a 90 degree angle. They grow straight up from the roots. When our roots are in God’s Word, then we know that we are aligned with Him, aligned with His will and in position to receive what grace has already provided.