[Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit. – Jeremiah 17:7-8 (AMP)

Years ago I attended a church where a fellow, whom I will call Sam, and his wife attended. The couple, as I recall, had a young daughter, and they were sweet, happy people. Every time I saw them, they were smiling – especially Sam, who had quite the bubbly personality.

Not long after I met them, Sam’s wife was diagnosed with cancer. She struggled to survive, but it wasn’t long before the cancer took her. The church family did it what could to encourage Sam and his daughter, but, in my opinion, Sam offered more encouragement to us than we did to him. Sam never stopped smiling. He never stopped being bubbly. He never stopped cracking jokes. And, he praised the name of The Lord for His love, His provision, and for the time He gave him with his dear wife.

I lost touch with Sam a long, long time ago, but his testimony of strength in adversity remains with me to this day. Of course, his strength did not flow from within himself, and he would tell you that today. His strength was rooted in his deep relationship with Christ, from whom he knew (and knows) that all blessings flow. Like the tree planted by the rivers of water, Sam yielded fruit even while in the desert, and the heat of drought, which causes so many of us to wither, did not cause him anxiety and fear.

The time to get ready for tragedy is not when it is upon us. It is now. The only way we will be able to withstand tough times is if we are deeply rooted in God’s promises, and the time to grow those roots is today, tomorrow, and every day. Don’t miss an opportunity to anchor yourself in the rich, fertile soil of God’s Word. Your ability to stand in the time of trial depends on it.

Shop hundreds of Christian-themed products at our new store! A portion of each purchase goes to support the work of Today’s Quote From God. To visit the Today’s Quote From God Store, please click here.