Rooted or Withered? What Guides Us in 2025?

There’s a tension running through life in 2025 that’s hard to ignore. On the surface, people are more connected, informed, and ambitious than ever. Yet, beneath the digital networks and constant streams of information, many feel a growing sense of instability, uncertainty, and exhaustion.

For some, the stress comes from economic pressure—the rising cost of living, the instability of industries, and the unpredictable nature of global markets. For others, it’s social fragmentation—a world where opinions harden into sides, where trust is eroded, and where it’s easier to argue with strangers online than to have meaningful conversations with real people. And for many, it’s simply personal doubt—the creeping fear that no matter how much effort is poured into careers, relationships, or self-improvement, it’s never quite enough.

So, the question that matters—maybe more than any other—is: In what are we placing our trust?

The House of Cards We Build On

It’s tempting to believe that if we just work harder, optimize better, or follow the right plan, everything will eventually fall into place. For decades, the message has been clear: Build your security on financial success, social capital, or self-reliance, and you’ll be fine.

But is that true?

Think about the tech entrepreneurs of the last decade—some became billionaires overnight, only to see their fortunes evaporate in months. They were celebrated, then ridiculed, then forgotten. Consider the real estate moguls and stock traders who built fortunes on industries that shifted faster than expected, leaving them scrambling. And it’s not just about money. How many social influencers, once praised and admired, have seen their careers implode over a single controversy or algorithm change?

And then there are the everyday stories—the ones closer to home.

Jason spent twenty years building his career in corporate leadership. He had done everything right: an MBA, constant networking, strategic promotions. His identity was tied to his success. Then, the unexpected—a corporate buyout. He was replaced. Suddenly, his expertise, his title, and his influence no longer mattered. For months, he spiraled into frustration and fear. His life had been built on his position, and without it, he felt lost.

Melissa and David bought their dream house at the peak of the market.?They stretched their budget, believing that property values would?only go up. Then, the economy shifted, and interest rates skyrocketed. Suddenly, they were?trapped, watching their investment lose value, wondering if their dreams were slipping away.

Sophie was the “go-to” person in her social circles.?She was admired, invited to every event, and her advice was always sought after. But when?she experienced a personal crisis, many of those friendships?disappeared. People who once wanted to be around her?became distant and?uncomfortable with her struggles.

These are the desert places—moments when what we trusted proves fragile, when what we counted on fails to hold us up.

The People Who Thrive Anyway

But not everyone crumbles when the heat comes. Some people—despite hardships, disappointments, and setbacks—remain steady. They endure, and even in difficult seasons, they continue to bear fruit.

What’s different about them?

They are deeply rooted—not in a bank account, a job title, or a social image, but in something lasting. They have cultivated a way of thinking, living, and believing that does not wither when circumstances shift.

James lost his small business during the pandemic.?For years, he had poured everything into it, and when it closed, he could have been crushed. But instead of defining himself by what he had?lost, he focused on what remained—his family, his faith, his integrity. He adapted, found a new direction, and remained steady while others panicked.

Maria is 79 years old. She has outlived her husband, seen friends pass away, and watched the world change beyond recognition. Yet, she is not bitter. She mentors younger women in her community, writes letters of encouragement, and remains full of life and hope. When asked how she stays so joyful despite her losses, she smiles and says, “Because I never put my trust in things that fade.”

These are the ones who are planted by streams of water—their roots stretching deep, their strength not dependent on good seasons. They remain steady, not because life is easy, but because they draw from a source that does not run dry.

The World Blows People Away

The world is filled with chaff—people and ideas that are blown away by the winds of change. You’ve seen it. People who rise fast and fall faster. People who define themselves by status only to panic when that status crumbles. People who live for approval, only to be abandoned when the next trend arrives.

The question is: What keeps you standing when everything shifts?

This isn’t about rejecting ambition, success, or wealth. While those things are?good, they are?not solid ground. They can be tools, but they should never be?foundations. The difference between those who?endure and those who crumble?is where they place their trust.

The world says, “You are your achievements.”

The world says, “You are your reputation.”

The world says, “You are only as good as your last success.”

But the people who endure—the ones whose lives do not wither in hardship—have chosen something deeper. They trust in something that does not evaporate in economic downturns, in social rejection, or in personal loss.

The Quiet Choice

Everyone trusts in something. Some hope in?the market, some in?a political leader, and some in?personal strategy and self-sufficiency. Some are swept away by?the next ideology, movement, or temporary high.

And then there are those who plant themselves deep—who draw from something beyond themselves. They still experience droughts. They still face hardships. But they do not collapse when the storms come.

The question for 2025 is not if change will come—it will. The question is:

When the winds blow, will you be rooted, or will you be swept away?