Barefoot and Grounded: Staying Rooted in God

By Jessica Brodie

Have you heard about a practice called grounding? Perhaps it sounds like some New Age fad, but it’s not—basically, it’s about going outside barefoot and standing in God’s creation so that the life currents of earth are directly absorbed into us.

It’s also called earthing. Supposedly, studies say this is helpful because the earth carries a negative electrical charge, and when your skin touches it directly, an exchange occurs. The body can then absorb these electrons, which supposedly help fight toxins, inflammation, and other things.

I honestly have no idea if this is accurate or not, but the idea of being barefoot in creation appeals to me. I grew up in the city, but as an eighties kid, I often wandered around barefoot in my yard, playing with grass and climbing trees alone and with neighbor kids. Being outside is good for the body and the soul. Electrical charge exchange or not, I can speak from experience that time in creation grounds me, reminding me that the world changes so quickly all around me, but some things always stay the same. God is always the same. His earth is good, and I am created to be in relationship with him and with the world, both his creation (the land and sea) and his creatures (animals and humans).

Life gets tremendously busy, and right now where I live, being outside gets uncomfortable. It’s high summer now, and the heat and humidity tax me. Still, I’m better for any time spent outside. I’m more relaxed, more connected to the Lord, more connected to my own body and mind and spirit.

God says a lot about the importance of staying connected to him—staying grounded and rooted in him and his word and truth—in a society that can be chaotic and filled with lies.

The apostle Paul teaches on this in Colossians 2:7-8, urging, “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (NLT).

Some other scriptures speak to similar themes:

Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
Matthew 7:24-25, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”

Consider how you stay rooted, grounded, connected to the Lord during your everyday life. How do you stay rooted in biblical truth in a world filled with confusion and deception? When chaos spins all around you, what keeps you centered? Is it prayer, reading God’s word, time in creation, worship and praise, or all of the above?

I’d love to hear what helps you. Share your thoughts in the comments below! And if I can pray for you, please reach out.

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