Hidden in the passage of Jeremiah 17:7, 8 are four ways to thrive like a tree. This scripture declares,

“Blessed [is] the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

The four ways this tree thrives are:

1. It is planted in fertile soil because it is near the water.
2. It has developed a strong root system as it stretches, sometimes even through solid rock, to reach out to the water to be nourished.
3. It has strong branches and green leaves that do not wither even under drought conditions because it has grown strong by continual nourishment from the nearby waters.
4. It is always fruitful.

Similarly, the four ways we can thrive like this tree planted by the waters are:

1. Be firmly established in the soil of God’s love. Trust in Him, no matter what our current circumstances may be.
2. Seek spiritual nourishment from His Word, growing in the knowledge of what Jesus has already accomplished on our behalf. Speak His promises, trusting they are true for our situation.
3. Receive Jesus’ ever-forgiving love as it supplies nourishment for every “branch” of our lives [spirit, soul (mind, will, and emotions), body, finances, and relationships]. The “green leaves” of our lives indicate good health, a by-product of continual nourishment from God’s Word (see Proverbs 4:20-22).
4. Manifest fruitfulness in our lives by having a laser focus on Jesus, the One Who initiates and matures our faith through His Word. This fruitfulness, according to Strong’s Concordance, also includes “offspring, children, progeny (of the womb).”

Thriving like THIS tree is a good thing! Don’t you agree?