How can Job 18:16 encourage us to evaluate our spiritual health regularly? Setting the Scene Job 18 is Bildad’s warning about the fate of the wicked. In verse 16 we read, “His roots dry up beneath, and his branches wither above.” Though spoken by a misguided friend, the Spirit preserved these words to teach us. The image of a tree dying from the roots outward becomes a vivid call to look beneath the surface of our own lives. The Picture in Job 18:16 • Roots drying up = hidden, inner life abandoned to neglect • Branches withering = outward life losing vitality and fruit The order matters: decline starts below ground where no one sees. By the time the branches reveal the problem, decay is already advanced. Why Spiritual Roots Matter • Roots anchor us in Christ (Colossians 2:6-7) • They draw the water of the Word and Spirit (Psalm 1:2-3; Ephesians 5:26) • Healthy roots ensure lasting fruit (John 15:5) Without constant nourishment, even believers can resemble a tree cut off from its source, appearing alive for a season yet on the way to withering. Signs Our Roots May Be Drying • Diminished appetite for Scripture • Prayer reduced to emergencies and rituals • Increasing tolerance of known sin (Psalm 32:3-4) • Loss of joy and gratitude (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) • Growing ease with worldly patterns (Romans 12:2) Practical Ways to Check Our Spiritual Health • Schedule a quiet “root audit” weekly—unhurried reading of the Word alongside honest self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5) • Keep a journal of answered prayers and convicting verses to trace God’s recent dealings • Invite a trusted, mature believer to speak candidly into your life (Proverbs 27:6,17) • Test motives: are good works flowing from love or mere duty? (Revelation 2:4-5) • Look for fresh obedience; roots that drink deeply produce new fruits of righteousness (Philippians 1:11) Scripture that Nourishes the Roots • Jeremiah 17:7-8 — confidence in the LORD keeps leaves green in drought • John 7:37-39 — rivers of living water promised to those who come to Jesus • 1 Peter 2:2 — crave pure spiritual milk to grow up into salvation • Psalm 119:11 — storing God’s Word in the heart guards against sin Encouragement to Stay Rooted The warning of Job 18:16 is gracious: God alerts us before the branches fall. A tree can thrive again when watered, pruned, and exposed to light. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37) Regularly evaluate your roots, draw near to the Living Water, and enjoy a life that stays green and fruitful for His glory. |
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