Barking Up the Wrong Tree
A Journey Back to the Garden of Eden
Much like our podcast, the Settled Podcast, this post delves into the themes of freedom, inner healing, and spiritual growth. Let’s make some observations about who God is and who we are by exploring the two trees in the Garden of Eden. What does it mean to live from the Tree of Life? Is there a tree of death in there? How can shifting perspectives about SOURCE lead us to occupy our true selves and find freedom in Christ?
Two Trees: Understanding Our Source
In the Garden of Eden, many trees served as sustenance for the man and the woman. “Of all the trees of the garden you may freely eat!” But two trees were brought to the forefront: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, or the Tree of Death, since God told them that if they ate of it they would “surely die.”
These two trees offer different outcomes—life versus death. Living from God as source, the Tree of Life, is about embracing who we are meant to be in Christ, rather than relying on our self-effort or striving to prove ourselves.
Stories of Insecurity and Trust
I remember first observing these trees in scripture after ten years of working at a church. I was familiar with the story in Genesis, but I hadn’t observed how it might apply to my life until someone handed me Beth Moore’s So Long Insecurity and suggested I give it a read. (Bold move on her part, I must say! But I needed the book!) As I read, I realized that I was barking up the wrong tree, focusing on performance and self-validation instead of resting in God’s life for me.
Church environments often teach us to bridge a gap that we experience between us and God with self-efforts. Pray more. Fast more. Memorize more scripture. Serve more. Do more. Realizing that God's presence is already near, inviting us into a life of trust and love, is a monumental shift. It’s taking shelter in the Tree of Life instead of barking up the wrong tree.
Knowledge & Wisdom
Continued observation of the garden narrative teaches us that knowledge can be good and it can be evil, but it cannot be life. Did the man and the woman need knowledge to be the image-bearers God created them to be? Sure. But HOW they went about getting that knowledge is essential.
Are they their own source of knowledge?
Is the serpent?
Or are they designed to received knowledge from God Himself?
To depend on God to know what we need to know when we need to know it is wisdom. We are designed to steward knowledge using wisdom sourced by God. This empowers us to serve others and live fruitfully, rather than allowing knowledge to deform us.
Our True Identity
Take a moment for personal reflection. Ask God if you're engaging in self-effort or relying on the wrong source, and explore what living from the Tree of Life would look like in your life. This practice of stepping back, calming our hearts, and asking God to reveal His truth is pivotal. It's about making a conscious choice to source from Him and find relief and freedom in Him.
Resting in God
This journey is about realizing there's another way—a life of freedom, peace, and abundance in God's presence. His ways are higher, but not to distant from us. In Christ, God has come down and inhabited humanity. There is no distance between God and humanity because there is no distance in Christ. We may FEEL far, but we are in union with God. We have everything we need and God is not holding anything back from us.
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We encourage you to listen to or watch the whole episode on the Settled Podcast as we journey together in embracing our true selves in Christ.