Like a Tree – DevotionalSample

YOUR LIFE WITH GOD THAT NO ONE SEES

The Hidden Life Is the Foundation

"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 (NIV)

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” - Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Big Idea: There is a world that exists solely between you and God that can sustain everything in your life.

Psalm 1:1–3 invites us to picture a blessed life that flourishes because its roots are well-watered. Proverbs 4:23 urges us to guard our hearts because everything we do flows from them. Our public acts are fruit, but the roots are the private disciplines. When we tend to the hidden life, our character grows, our joy deepens, and our influence becomes lasting. The two realms aren’t in competition; they’re connected. The private life feeds the public outward life so that we can withstand storms and continue bearing fruit.

Reflection Questions:

1. What is your current balance between "private" life and "public" life? What shift would honor both?
2. In what ways might you be tempted to perform for God rather than simply be with Him?
3. Identify one adjustment to your schedule that could nurture a deeper root system this season.

Prayer Focus: Help me to live “like a tree.” Strong roots that grows into a fruitful life is not something that is unattainable; it is a promise from God that can be fulfilled in my life.

This devotional is a companion to Chicago Tabernacle's "Like a Tree" Sermon Series. Watch the series on YouTube: YouTube.com/@ChicagoTabernacle