SAYING GRACE: Strengthening the legs of your table and thrive

BY HEATHER ABLONDI FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

My family and I visited an arboretum during a recent trip to Sevierville, Tennessee. We had a lovely time walking alongside a tranquil river that was flanked by over 70 different species of trees on either side.

I was struck by the contrast between the trees and plants that grew closest to the water and those that grew farther away. The ones that made their home along the river bank were laden with lush, vibrant green foliage and bright-colored flowers. Conversely, those that made their home farther away from their water source were sparse with pale, yellow-green leaves and hardly any flowers at all.

I couldn’t help but think of these words recorded by the prophet Jeremiah, “The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

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As I reflected on these verses, I learned some important truths that have had a tremendous impact on my life. First, the person who trusts in the Lord doesn’t need to worry in times of trouble. They will continue to flourish in the most difficult of circumstances. Amazingly, they will not just survive, but they will thrive by continuing to bear fruit in the midst of their adversity.

This promise comes with a condition—we must learn to trust in the Lord. In order to access these blessings in times of trouble, we must spend time getting to know God when life is good. When I discussed my observations with my brother, he shared the following analogy that he uses in his job as a pastor.

Life is like a table propped up by four legs. When things are easy and there isn’t a lot of stuff piled on the table, it doesn’t matter if its legs are wobbly. But when life gets difficult and the burdens get piled higher and the load becomes heavier, the table will come crashing down if its legs are not strong enough to support the added weight. He went on to share that the legs represent four vital spiritual disciplines: Bible study, prayer, time spent in community with like-minded individuals, and worship.

We learn to trust God through the reading and study of His word. Through the Bible we discover truths about His character and divine attributes. We realize how much we can trust Him with our future when we read of all He has done in the past. I recently heard Bible teacher Jen Wilkin say, “The heart cannot love what the mind does not know.” We must take the time to engage our mind through Bible study before our love for God can truly grow.

Prayer allows us to talk to God like we would a treasured friend. We can share our triumphs and our tragedies with Him. The Apostle Paul tells us that when we present our requests to God through prayer, we will have peace that surpasses all understanding.

If there is one thing that the pandemic has shown us, it is how much we need one another. The writer of the Biblical book of Hebrews encourages us to not give up gathering together so that we may encourage one another and spur each other on to good works. Sitting at home, on the couch, watching church in our pajamas might be convenient, but it is not how things are supposed to be. We need a community who can rejoice with us during the good times and mourn with us and come alongside of us during difficult seasons.

Finally, we must learn to truly worship the Lord in all we say and do. Worship is not just confined to a few songs sung on Sunday morning. Worship is a posture of the heart toward the Lord that says, “Not my will, God, but Yours be done.”

When our lives are supported by these four pillars, our trust in God will grow, and we will be able to face any difficulty in life knowing that He will cause us to not only survive, but thrive.

For specific resources you can use to strengthen the legs of your table and a free 10-Day Devotional that will help you learn more about the nature of God, visit heatherablondi.com.

Heather Ablondi is a women’s ministry speaker and author who lives in Fredericksburg. You can contact her through her website, heatherablondi.com.

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