Do Not Despair, O Withering Tree – September 5, 2025

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Based on Psalm 1

“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. 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 1:1-3).

The author uses the picture of a tree to describe you and your life as a Christian. A tree planted by water will send its roots down and draw sustenance and nutrients from that water and rich soil. The leaves will be green and healthy. That tree will bear abundant fruit.

That water is the promise of God to you. When you plant your tree near God’s promises—receiving his words through active personal Bible study, gathering for worship, receiving the Lord’s Supper, recalling the promises made to you in your baptism—these waters cause your tree to be active and healthy.

But what happens when your tree appears to be withering? The reason I ask this question is because the United States Congress designated September as National Suicide Prevention Month. When we discuss self-harm, we talk about depression and despair—things that make a tree appear to be withering. It’s possible that others cannot perceive this withering because depression and despair have set in at the roots or the trunk of someone’s tree. Depression and despair may have come because of a military training accident, a combat injury, a moral injury, an illness, financial ruin, or a mind and heart plagued by past trauma.

Does this describe you or someone you care about? All of this may cause you to despair of your Almighty Creator’s providence—his ability to provide for your daily bread, to care for your body or mind or family or loved ones—and you see no way out. Perhaps you think life would be better if you were not in it.

Have you or has someone you love thought this way? Have you spoken like this? Then I say to you today, “Do not despair, O withering tree.” You are not alone. Christ suffered too. In spite of planting his tree near streams of water—the promises of his Father—his tree, at times, appeared to be in rough shape. He endured opposition to his message. He suffered abuse and abandonment. Finally, he suffered the cross and the grave. But he suffered so that he might better understand your suffering. He suffered so that you will not suffer forever. God still loves sinners who are suffering. He did something about it in Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, as a Christian, you live under the cross. The same God who provided forgiveness for all your sins by a cross doesn’t promise that he will remove every cross of suffering from you. It’s not that God doesn’t have the ability to remove the suffering that is causing you to despair. In his wisdom he allows you to live under the cross. I don’t know why you are suffering in your circumstance. In God’s Word he does not always reveal suffering’s purpose to us. But he does promise that you do not endure the cross alone. Christ is with you. He provides fellow Christians to be with you.

He does say in his Word that sometimes he allows us to linger under the cross of suffering, depression, and despair so that we might despair of our strength, our ability, and see our weakness, so we might better see how great our God’s grace is for us.

Consider the apostle Paul. He planted his tree by streams of water and meditated on God’s promises day and night. But his tree appeared battered and bruised, inside and out. He struggled with his cross so much that he pleaded with God to take it away. God would answer no. God would not answer the “why” for his suffering, but he promised Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you,” O withering tree (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God chose to make you the object of his undeserved love. In your great weakness you have a greater God who loves you. He proves his love by forgiving all your sins by a cross. He proves his love to you by promising you a resurrection to eternal life with him, where there is no more depression, no more despair.

Those promises are the waters your tree may drink up so that you may have life in spite of your depression and despair. So plant yourself in those promises. Meditate on them day and night. Read this psalm every day this week. As you do, pray that your relationship with God’s Word causes you to be a fruitful tree so that, in spite of your doubts, you will know and believe God will always forgive, always love, always be present, always sustain you. After all, “The LORD watches over the way of the righteous” (Psalm 1:6). That’s you! The righteous! You are declared by him to be right in his sight, for Christ is your righteousness.

So do not despair, O withering tree. Plant your tree near the waters of God’s grace and mercy and compassion. Your God is with you. He loves you. He forgives you. He will not leave you alone.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, today we pray for those who are serving or have served in our nation’s military and have thoughts of self-harm. We pray for their dependents who are depressed or despair of life. Focus their thoughts on your grace for them in you, their Lord and Savior. Give them the courage to seek help. Be their strength when they are weak. Remind them that you have a purpose for living.

Use us to reach out to those who are depressed. Give us listening, patient ears and compassionate hearts. Open our lips to speak your words of grace, forgiveness, and life eternal. In your name, I pray it. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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