“The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don’t have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.” Luke 8:13 (CEV)

During springtime, the grass in Southern California turns green and the wildflowers and poppies bloom. It’s really pretty! But the moment the rains stop, the hills turn brown again. Why? Because the grass has shallow roots. They can’t go down deep enough to reach the springs of water far beneath the ground.

So when plants don’t have deep roots, they may sprout and look healthy at first—but without the roots they need, they quickly wither.

Our spiritual lives work the same way: Without deep roots, our faith can’t hold steady when trouble comes.

The Bible says, “The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don’t have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up” (Luke 8:13 CEV).

A lot of times we hear God’s Word and get excited about it, but we don’t allow it to change us. We act superficially. We respond emotionally. We’re moved impulsively. But we don’t take the time to let God’s Word sink in.

Nobody wants to be a shallow person. Instead, you want to have deep spiritual roots so that when recession comes and lasts several years, you’re able to keep bearing fruit. When rough winds blow and someone in your family gets sick or a close friend dies, you’re able to stand, because you’ve got roots.

How do you develop spiritual roots? You can start by having a meaningful daily time with God. As you take time to pray, worship, and read the Bible, you’re going to be amazed at how this simple practice strengthens your life. The more you get to know God, the more you’ll love him! In fact, the main objective isn’t just to study about him but to spend time with him. It’s not just study time; it’s relationship time! 

Another way to grow spiritual roots is to connect regularly with a small group of believers. None of us has a complete perspective on life. We all have blind spots. That’s why you need a small group—because they can see things in your life you can’t see. As you encourage one another, you’ll learn from each other and grow deeper roots. We’re better together!

When you spend daily time with God and connect regularly with a small group, you won’t dry up or get blown away when the pressure is on. Instead, your spiritual roots will grow deep, and your faith will stay steady no matter what.

Talk It Over

• Why do you think it’s easy to give up when life gets hard?

• How can you change your schedule so that you spend more time with God?

• Describe a time you were strengthened and encouraged by meeting regularly with godly friends.