Enduring Like a Mighty Oak: Finding Strength in Psalm 1
Living along the Texas coast, in a place named for its mighty trees, I’ve often marveled at how they’ve weathered fierce tropical storms and destructive hurricane winds. If you look closely, every mature tree bears scars—marks left by relentless storms, brutal summers, and the pests they’ve survived. But these scars aren’t just blemishes. They’re marks of toughness, a testament to the tree’s perseverance. And it struck me—how much this mirrors the journey of longtime believers. Their scars, from hardships, doubts, and struggles, aren’t signs of weakness but of resilience built through the storms of life. David understood this connection long ago when he wrote the first psalm, which came to mind as I reflected on these steadfast trees. It’s a reminder that true strength comes from being deeply rooted in something greater.
Psalm 1 begins with, “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.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
That’s quite a statement! Before we dive in, let’s revisit the image of the tree in Psalm 1—planted by streams of water, flourishing, and bearing fruit in its season. It got me thinking: What does it really mean to be a person who flourishes like that, deeply rooted and drawing life from a constant, unchanging source?
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://everyhappening.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/The-Image-Captures-An-Expansive-Desert-Landscape-.png” title_text=”The Image Captures An Expansive Desert Landscape” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]We’ve all had moments when we’re not sure where we’re planted or if we’re growing at all. Sometimes, life makes us feel more like tumbleweeds—without roots, blown around by every wind of trouble, stress, or distraction. I know I’ve certainly been there.
But here’s the thing: Psalm 1 doesn’t just offer us a nice image of a tree. It gives us a blueprint for living a blessed life—a life rooted in something solid. And it all starts with making some choices about where we’re going to stand, who we’re going to walk with, and where we’re going to sit.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://everyhappening.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Magic-Hour-Photo-Of-A-Thriving-Oak-Planted-On-The.png” title_text=”Magic Hour Photo Of A Thriving Oak Planted On The” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Where Are Your Steps Leading You?” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”||11px|||”][/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]Psalm 1 begins with a warning: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked.” It’s easy to think, “Well, I don’t hang out with criminals, so I’m good!” But it’s not always that simple. Walking in step with the wicked doesn’t necessarily mean being surrounded by violent felons; it can be as subtle as making little compromises—engaging in gossip, envying the success of others, or harboring unforgiving bitterness in our hearts.
The more we walk in those directions, the easier it becomes to get comfortable in places we don’t belong.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_heading title=”Where Have You Found Yourself Standing?” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_margin=”-17px|||20px|false|false”]Next, the psalm says, “or stand in the way that sinners take.” Sometimes we start by just walking by something questionable, but then we stop and stand there a while. It’s as if we’re testing the waters, seeing how far we can go without getting burned. I’ve seen this happen time and again. A little shortcut here, a small bending of the rules there, and before long, we find ourselves standing in places we never intended to go.
And let’s be honest: We’re all guilty of it from time to time. How often do we look around and realize we’re standing in a situation that’s pulled us further from the safety God wants for us?
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_heading title=”Who Are You Sitting With?” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]Finally, the psalm warns against sitting in the company of mockers. Now, mockers don’t always have to be people; sometimes, the voices of negativity and cynicism come mainly from within. We sit down with those thoughts and ruminate on the supposed truth of them. Dwelling on these thoughts can be dangerously persuasive, much like talking to a crafty time-share salesman—the more you engage, the more you start believing their carefully worded pitch. Before we know it, we’ve bought into the lies the world throws at us, leaving us entangled in doubt, fear, and despair.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”5px|||||”]Finally, the psalm warns against sitting in the company of mockers. Now, mockers don’t always have to be people; sometimes, the voices of negativity and cynicism come mainly from within. We sit down with those thoughts and ruminate on the supposed truth of them. Dwelling on these thoughts can be dangerously persuasive, much like talking to a crafty time-share salesman—the more you engage, the more you start believing their carefully worded pitch. Before we know it, we’ve bought into the lies the world throws at us, leaving us entangled in doubt, fear, and despair.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://everyhappening.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/an-apple-per-day-keeps-the-doctor-away-2023-11-27-04-59-20-utc-scaled.jpg” title_text=”An apple per day keeps the doctor away” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Rooted Like a Tree” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”2px|||||” custom_margin=”||9px|||”][/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” min_height=”744px”]Now, let’s get back to that tree. The psalm says, “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 1:3)
Think about your own life: Today, are you feeling more like a tumbleweed or a firmly planted tree? The tree doesn’t worry about where it will find water because it’s rooted by the stream. Likewise, when we root ourselves in God’s Word and in His presence, we draw from a source that never runs dry, no matter what life throws at us.
I must confess that far too much of my life I played the tumbleweed and wondered what was wrong with me. There was little joy in my life, and my prayers felt as contrived as clicking a checkbox to approve a software upgrade.
In my mind, getting back to God and enjoying closeness with Him felt like an insurmountable journey, with no compass to guide me. But that was just another lie from the devil. The truth was that returning to a close relationship with God wasn’t complicated or time-consuming. All I needed to do was shut out all the contrary voices in my life and feed on God’s Word, the ultimate standard of truth. Doing so regularly crowded out the lying and condemning voices in my life. Once I reached that point, my prayers became fresh and authentic, like sitting down to talk with your closest friend.
When storms come—and they will—may we be like those trees: unshaken, rooted deeply in the love and truth of God, drawing life from the stream that never runs dry. No matter how fierce the storm, God remains our steady anchor. And when the scars of life appear, may we remember that they’re not marks of defeat but signs of the strength and perseverance God has given us through every storm.
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