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planted in promise

Hello, friends! You may notice the formatting looks a little different today – I’m just experimenting! But what hasn’t changed is my desire to share what the Lord is doing in my life, and today, I want to share a personal promise He recently brought to life.

Jeremiah 17:7-8: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for it’s leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

I read this passage several months ago when I was in a heavy season. Past betrayal had come to light, old temptations resurfaced, and I suddenly felt like I had lost a part of myself in all the grief. I felt drained, stressed, and alone – even in community. But I couldn’t stop thinking about this passage. So I studied it. For weeks.

Verse 7 didn’t really make sense to me at first – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.” After studying, it clicked. The word “blessed” in Hebrew means “divine favor”, not just happiness, but a wellness that cannot be explained by circumstance. “Trust” is another word mentioned here that means “to place full confidence, security, and reliance in”. The second part of the verse seems repetitive, but it actually means something completely different than the first part:
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord”: a reliance on God to do something.
“Blessed is the man whose trust is the Lord”: declaration that He is everything.

I love this verse because you have to really dissect it to understand what Jeremiah is saying. There is a difference between trusting IN God and when your trust IS God.

Verse 8 gives us imagery that a tree is intentionally planted – not accidental, not coincidental, not by chance in the wild. God planted it there on purpose. It’s roots actively reach out to the water source for growth, just like we’re called to reach for God’s Word and presence for growth.

I thought of Job 14:7-9 here, “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down… at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant.” I love how Job, of all people, mentions how even when cut down, trees with access to water can still grow from it. And Jeremiah gives us the symbolism that this kind of hope only comes from being planted near living water.

Verse 8b: “…and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green…”. The tree doesn’t escape the heat – it endures it. It doesn’t wither, but it’s color remains bright. A believe whose trust is the Lord is not protected from hardship but within it. Their joy and light is not hidden, but heightened through dependency on Jesus.

The last part of verse 8: “…and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” We’ve all experienced seasons of drought or lack. But in the trials and the difficult moments, if we remain planted where the Lord has us, we will still bear fruit (love, joy, peace… Gal. 5). This is what God promises us – it’s about the abundance in the unseen.

Habakkuk 3:17-18 fits perfectly with this theme: “Though the fig tree should not blossom… yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” – Flourishing isn’t about external fruit but internal rootedness; fruitfulness is not about the lack of trials or ease of life. It’s about how Jesus doesn’t just help us survive the trials, but He empowers us to produce during them.

At the same time I was studying this passage, I came across a quote by Christine Caine from a devotional I was reading that changed my entire perspective: “Sometimes when we’re in a dark place, we think we’ve been buried – but we’ve actually been planted.”

I clung to that. Spiritual fruit is independent of what’s seen or felt. I knew I wasn’t blooming yet, but maybe, I wasn’t forgotten, I was just being preserved for more. I had dinner with a friend on Valentine’s Day this past February, and I told her that I felt the Lord whispering ‘flourishing over my life’. Nothing in my life looked like it, but I trusted that something was growing where now one could see it, even myself.

Shortly after this conversation with my friend, in my quiet time with Lord one day, He whispered to me, “Before a tree ever reaches the light, it begins as a seed – buried in the dark, set apart in the quiet, and grown in secret.” This was just further confirmation of what I studied in Jeremiah.

This all happened about six months ago. And now? The Lord has blessed me in more ways than I ever imagined. I got a new job – a perfect one. A new car – something I wasn’t even prepared for, but now cherish. New friendships, new rhythms, new mindset. Started seminary. Got a new phone. A new MacBook. My pharmacy intern license (after nine months of waiting). Started a bible study with two girl friends. It’s been sweet. Unexpected. Gentle. Peaceful. And I feel absolutely overwhelmed and soaked in favor.

But here is what I really want to share:
When all of this happened – I wasn’t even praising Him. I wasn’t reading His Word. I wasn’t going to church on Sundays. And to be completely honest, my prayer life was nearly nonexistent. I wasn’t actively sinning, but I wasn’t actively pursuing Him either. I felt numb and stuck in the fog.

Life felt very off. I had to drop out of summer term. My scholarships got removed. I had no job. Heavy friendships. I felt very single. Family tension. Ministry and church felt like a chore. Doubt and laziness became the only two constants in my life. I was struggling to do things that used to bring me life – working out, studying scripture, spending time with Jesus, waking up early. I applied to dozens of jobs (most of them I wasn’t even excited about getting) – and all rejections.

During this time, I was talking with my grandma, and she asked if I wanted to go visit them down south, and without thinking, I told her, “I think I’ll get a job soon, and I’ll probably start working immediately.” I wasn’t expecting any callbacks. I had no reason to believe that. I was confused as to why I had even said it.

Surely enough, that same weekend, I decided to surprise my little brother for his birthday. On the drive, I finally broke. I cried. I talked to Jesus the entire way. I released everything. And that same day, I got a call about a job opportunity. The next day – a car. Later that week – an email stating my scholarhsip was wrongfully canceled and would be reinstated.

Here’s the truth to all of this: God didn’t bless me because I was faithful. He blessed me because He is. I didn’t earn this season. I didn’t earn these gifts. I don’t deserve the favor. But that’s what makes His grace so captivating. I used to think the only way to recevie God’s goodness is by doing everything right. But God doesn’t bless our effort. He is a Father. One who delights in giving good gifts (Matt. 7:11), even when we’re not watching, even when we’re tired, even when we feel spiritually checked out.

He is still moving. Still providing. Still writing a better story. Still whispering “flourishing” to His daughters long before the bloom. And I am living proof that His promises are good and true because I am starting to bloom. Not only through receiving gifts, but also in repentance through His kindness. Romans 2:4, “Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

His kindness isn’t only rewarded when we do good, but it also isn’t permission to stay where we were. Even when we aren’t pursing Him, His kindess finds us. His grace leads us back to Him. We didn’t earn this season – we were simply loved in it. Thanks for reading friend, I pray if you ever feel stuck to simply return to Jesus – He meets you exactly where you are.