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?