Staying hydrated

“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 into 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) 

The room where I teach Barre at my local YMCA is sweltering in the summer. With no AC and what feels like perpetual humidity, I remind students to drink lots of water, though that’s usually a given. During breaks, I find that we all naturally reach for our water bottles. 

But when the weather starts to cool off, I notice that we hydrate less during class, especially come wintertime. I remind my students that when it’s cold outside, we can be fooled into thinking that we don’t need to drink as much water. It’s because we don’t feel thirsty or we think we’re sweating less, even though our bodies are still at risk of dehydration. 

I recently noticed this false sense of “hydration” in my walk with God. I was getting comfortable, going through the motions, not realizing I was drawing strength from my own well—a well that was dry. Even though I was carving out a daily quiet time, I wasn’t acknowledging my need for Him. I was praying, but it was really just a to-do list of things I was already trying to accomplish on my own. Eventually, serving others even in the smallest ways felt like a chore and I was frustrated for feeling so burnt out. I was dehydrated spiritually, and I didn’t know why. 

In Jeremiah 17, there’s the image of a tree planted by a riverbank, an example of those who trust God. In my weariness, I was reminded that my source of strength in every area of my life—no matter how mundane or difficult—comes from Him. When we stay rooted in God, we know these things: 

We will be refreshed 

These well-nourished trees in Jeremiah represent those who “have made the Lord their hope and confidence” (17:7). We are refreshed when we trust Him and our roots “reach deep into the water” (v. 8), staying connected to God through His Word and through prayer. 

We will live life “unbothered” 

Jeremiah says these trees are “not bothered by heat or worried by long months of drought” (v. 8). This doesn’t mean we won’t experience hardship in this life. While dry seasons can cause discomfort or pain, it can also make us thirst for God, drawing us closer to Him so that we don’t have to be “bothered” or “worried” by our circumstances. 

We will produce fruit 

Our attachment to God is what helps our “leaves stay green,” and it’s how we will “never stop producing fruit” (v. 8). It’s reminiscent of what Jesus told His disciples before He died: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Seeing fruit and growth in our lives is a natural result of our connection to God. It’s easy to get exhausted when our focus is on achieving a certain outcome rather than on Him. 

Is there an area of your life where you’re experiencing some drought? Whether this season of life has brought you to the desert or you’ve been trying to do things on your own, take a moment to talk to God about where you are. From there, let’s root down in His word and be refreshed by His truth.

Daneem Kim serves as a youth leader at Maine Street Baptist Church in Brunswick, Maine.