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Written by Sharit Saman Zapata, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Peru

Imagine a tree in the desert that, from afar, seems strong and robust, but when you get closer, you discover that it is dry, without sap or fruit, and rotten inside. Its strength was only an appearance. Now imagine another tree by a river, full of fruits and shiny leaves; it does not struggle to survive, it grows calmly, and that is why it overflows with life.

Which of the two trees is more like our spiritual life?

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.(Ps 1:1-3; NIV)

Many of us, after years in the Church, learn to see ourselves well from afar: we speak like Christians, we move in environments of faith, we master biblical passages and practice disciplines... but inside, something does not grow. The dangerous thing is to stagnate, to get used to living like this, to do the "right" things without satisfaction: we pray, we read the Bible, we surround ourselves with Christians... and we are still empty.

This is a real struggle, but we should not allow ourselves to remain in this state for long or settle. There is a big difference between being busy with things of God and being really rooted in Him.

Some tips we can take from Psalm 1:1-3:

1. Stop walking where you shouldn't.

"the one who does not walk in step with the wicked..."

Before speaking of roots, the psalmist points in the direction: how can we grow in God if we listen to voices and make decisions that lead us away from Him? It is like a tree in dry ground: its fruits, if there are any, will be contaminated. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other" (Mt 6:24). Many times, we do not grow because we have our hearts divided between obedience and comfort and we do not want to let go of what prevents us from moving forward.

2. Stop "trying" and start reveling.

"whose delight is in the law of the Lord."

Here we are going to find the real problem: it is not a lack of discipline; it is a lack of delight. You can read the Bible every day and still be dry, we can pray and still be empty, all this because God is not looking for routines: He is looking for genuine love. And if we think about it, no one needs reminders to do something they love. Psalm 42:1 says, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." That is our reference, it is not an obligation… it is hunger. If your relationship with God feels heavy, it is not a problem of agenda... It's a heart problem. This is because a tree should not simply visit water, it should live connected to it.

3. Stay, don't just pass by.

"who meditates on his law day and night"

Sometimes we treat God as a quick stop: a short devotional, a prayer before bed, a song on the road, while the rest of our life is disconnected. Jesus says, "apart from me you can do nothing" (Jn 15:5). It doesn't just say a little, it says NOTHING. It is like a state-of-the-art cell phone—although it has all the potential, without being charged or connected, it is useless. So is your spiritual life if you do not abide in Him.

4. The fruit will be inevitable if the roots are real and firm.

"That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season"

Many people get frustrated looking for immediate fruit, but the passage says it will be in due time. Like the tree that stands by its source, without comparing or forcing itself, it only strives to stay at its source, then the fruit comes naturally. In Galatians 5:22–23 we see the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace,... This fruit grows when we are connected. If there is no fruit, the problem is not the fruit, but the roots.

You don't need another spiritual strategy or a perfect plan; you need to decide TODAY where you are planted. You can be busy with Christian stuff or be a really rooted woman by the river. Those two things are not the same. How much longer are you going to settle for a life that seems strong on the outside, but is dry on the inside?

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Written by Elane Bernardo, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Caruaru, Pernambuco

 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches…Do not be arrogant, but tremble. (Ro 11:16-18a, 20b NIV)

Beloved sisters,

With affection, I invite you, before proceeding with this reading, to pray and ask God to speak to your heart through His Word, just as He has spoken and deeply touched my heart.

There is a very common tendency in the human heart: to look at the fruit before looking at the root.

People seek change, growth, spiritual strength, and transformation, but often all of this is pursued through their own efforts, as if life with God depended on the ability to produce visible results.

Romans 11 shows us another way.

It presents the image of an olive tree, with a sacred root and branches that live from the sap that comes from it. Some branches have been broken off, while others, which did not originally belong to the tree, have been grafted on. This image not only explains a spiritual truth, but also repositions the heart.

Life doesn't begin in the branch.
Strength doesn’t lie in the branch.
Fruit doesn't grow from the branch.
Everything comes from the root.

The holiness mentioned in verse 16 is not something produced, but transmitted. The branches only participate in this life because they are connected to that which is holy. This confronts a spirituality based on effort, where one tries to produce fruit without prioritizing connection.

Bearing fruit is not about producing something for God, but about allowing His life to manifest itself through those who are truly connected to the root. When this truth is forgotten, what should be fruitful becomes an attempt. What should flow becomes a burden. And spiritual life begins to be lived as constant effort, not as dependence.

The text also presents an important warning: some branches were broken off by unbelief. This reveals that it is not enough to be near. It is not enough to appear to be a part of something. Permanence is not sustained by appearances, but by faith.

And it is at this point that the Word clearly directs: "Do not be arrogant, but tremble."Spiritual pride is silent. It doesn't necessarily manifest itself in words, but in self-sufficiency. It arises when there is confidence in one's own path, when dependence on God ceases to be daily and becomes occasional.

But the truth remains: it is not the branch that supports the root. It is the root that supports the branch.

When this is forgotten, the connection weakens. Structure may still exist, there may still be an appearance of life, but the flow of sap is no longer the same. And without sap, there is no fruit.

On the other hand, when there is a true connection, the fruit becomes inevitable. It manifests itself in attitudes, choices, and the way of living in the face of daily situations--not as something forced, but as evidence of a life sustained by God.

The text concludes with a serious warning: if God did not spare the natural branches, neither should we live carelessly before Him. This does not point to fear, but to reverence—a conscious, aligned, and dependent life—a life that understands that being grafted in is a grace, and that remaining is a daily decision.

Therefore, bearing fruit doesn't begin with what one does, but with where one is connected. And in light of this, a necessary question remains:

Has life been lived from the root that sustains it, or is there still an attempt to produce fruit through one's own strength?