The Hidden Life of the Rooted Soul

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When the Winds Come

It was a blustery night in the mountains. The winds howled through the darkness, the trees creaked, and the branches yielded to gusts that whipped through indiscriminately.

The mountain laurels and rhododendrons are used to this, though. Their strong, root-like stalks are hardly bothered, their branches only lightly swaying. They are rooted and seem almost impervious to the gusts.

The mountain laurels and rhododendrons—rhodos, for short—are evergreen, and as their name suggests, they stay green all year round. With their thick, shiny foliage, they bring color to an otherwise bleak winter backdrop.

These shrubs have adapted in order to survive the cold, dry conditions. Although their leaves droop and lose some of their luster during the winter months, they are rooted deeply enough to endure the season’s scarcity.

Eventually, the cold begins to subside, the dark days give way to more sunlight, and the warming temperatures soften the soil. The laurels and rhodos awaken and soon begin to show buds that will blossom into intricate flowers, announcing that summer has arrived.

Seasons of the Spiritual Life

The spiritual life is filled with seasons that often mirror the seasons of nature. There are times of spring: learning, stretching, and new growth; summer: bursting with color and excitement; fall: letting go and preparation; and winter: dormancy and rest.

What Lies Beneath the Surface

What sustains us in the seasons that feel cold, barren, or stripped of life? Like the laurels and rhodos, it is what lies beneath the surface.

A life rooted in God does not mean we are untouched by hardship. The winds still come. The cold still settles in. There are seasons when our prayer feels dry, when consolation fades, when growth seems hidden beneath the soil.

And yet, if we are deeply rooted in Him, something remains: trust. Even when we cannot see what God is doing, we still live as children who believe that God our Father is good, that He is loving, and that He desires what is best for us, even when we do not understand.

As we remain in Him over time, we begin to endure quietly and shine steadily, a life not dependent on outward signs, but on the faithful presence of the One who sustains all things.

The Hidden Life of the Soul

This is the hidden life of the soul rooted in God. Throughout every season, the evergreen still shines. It still holds its beauty. It still offers color against the backdrop of all.

“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.”

Psalm 1:1-3