When the Drought Came, He Chose to Trust in the Lord

Frank Wible
Jul 26
2 min read

Caleb had always been the provider — for his wife, his kids, his employees. He wasn’t wealthy, but he was solid. The kind of guy you could count on. He worked hard, prayed over his family, and ran his small landscaping company with integrity. But when the calls stopped coming and the economy slowed, he felt the pressure rise.

Man in a dim kitchen, focused on a stack of bills with a white mug nearby. The mood is somber, with a blueish evening glow. — He didn’t have answers. But he had roots.

At first, he tightened the budget. No takeout, fewer extras, skip the vacation. But by month four, he was dipping into savings. Month five, he delayed payroll for the first time. By month six, the account was nearly dry. His wife never said it, but he could see it in her eyes — she was worried.

And then came the doctor’s visit. A strange pain in his side turned into a scan, which turned into a follow-up, which turned into a referral. The results weren’t catastrophic, but they weren’t good either. More tests. More appointments. More bills.

His men’s group offered to help. Some even dropped off groceries. He appreciated it, but part of him felt exposed. Like a tree stripped of its bark. No more image. No more answers. Just Caleb… standing in the heat.

One morning, he sat alone on the back porch before dawn. No coffee. No phone. Just silence. His Bible was open to a page he didn’t remember turning to — Jeremiah 17. His eyes fell on the words: “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord... He will be like a tree planted by the water.”

Elderly man in a blue sweater reads a book on a porch at sunrise, overlooking a misty garden and trees. Calm and serene mood. — It didn’t promise no heat. It promised no fear.

It didn’t say the tree wouldn’t feel the heat. It said the tree wouldn’t fear it. Caleb closed his eyes and whispered, “You planted me. I’m staying right here.”

From that day on, he stopped trying to force results. He still showed up to work. Still pursued jobs. Still went to appointments. But he didn’t live from panic anymore. He lived from peace. Quiet, daily peace.

Months later, things began to shift. Slowly. A client returned. Then another. A check from a past overpayment arrived. The medical news improved. Not everything was fixed — but the roots held.

Now when men ask him how he made it through that season, Caleb doesn’t talk about hustle. He talks about hope. And he points them to the verse that held him together: “Trust in the Lord... even in drought. Especially then.”

What drought are you trusting God through right now?