Key to Being Grounded in Your Christian Walk

Ephesians 3:17

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

We often talk about being rooted and grounded in our Christian walk, and we often think that this is done through taking a discipleship class. However, the Scriptures make it very clear that the only way to be rooted and grounded in the Christian walk is by love. Paul said that we are rooted and grounded in love. Whose love is this? This love is the love of Christ. In other words, if we are to be rooted and grounded in our Christian walk, we must let Christ’s love reign in our lives. Let me share several things about the love of Christ so we can understand how to be rooted and grounded in our Christian walk.

First, it is obeying the will of God. Jesus obeyed the will of His Father, even though at one point He asked if this cup could pass from Him. You cannot be grounded in your Christian walk when you are unwilling to do the will of God. The will of God is critical to your ability to being rooted and grounded in love. Understand that the will of God is active and not inactive. You can't sit and do the will of God, but you must do something to do God's will. Therefore, if you are going to be rooted and grounded in your Christian walk, you must actively do God's will for your life.

Second, it is a total sacrifice of self for others. Jesus totally sacrificed His life so that you and I could be saved. If you're unwilling to sacrifice yourself for the cause of Christ, you cannot be rooted and grounded in love. The Christian faith is a faith of dying to self so that Christ’s cause may be seen through your life. You will only be rooted and grounded in your Christian walk when you're willing to sacrifice all of your desires for the cause of Christ.

Third, it is loving people at their worst. Jesus did not love us at our best, but He loved us at our worst. You cannot be rooted and grounded in love if you're unwilling to love people at their worst. It is not trying to help people when they are good; it is loving people when they are at their worst toward you and others.

Fourth, it is helping people get out of their sinful past. Jesus died to save us from our sins so that He could give us a home in Heaven. True love is helping people overcome their past. The reason so many have a shallow faith in Christ is because they're more interested in throwing someone’s past at them instead of trying to help them to do something great for God with their future. You become rooted and grounded in your faith when you're willing to pull people out of their past to clean up their lives so that God can use them.

Fifth, it is a willingness to be inconvenienced to help others. Jesus was certainly inconvenienced when He left Heaven to come to earth to die for our sins, and you must be willing to be inconvenienced to help others if you want to be rooted and grounded in your Christian faith. Helping others is never easy or convenient, but being inconvenienced to help others helps to ground you in your Christian faith.

Sixth, it is never giving up on others when they don't seem to want you. Jesus never gives up on the lost, and you must never give up on people if you are to be rooted and grounded in your Christian faith. The love of God being magnified in your life will cause you to never give up on others, even when they may have given up on themselves.