Fruit of the Spirit  

“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father in heaven.”  Orson Whitney

How do we go about making sure that the fruit of the Spirit is growing within us?  I love the way God uses everyday life to teach us.  When you plant a fruit tree you don’t immediately have a fruitful harvest.  The branches of your tree are not laden down with fruit waiting to be picked.  Because we live in a fast food, express line world, we expect everything to be easy.  The thing is there is no “Easy Button” where we can skip the hard part and get exactly what we want immediately. 

The same thing happens when you become a Christian. You don’t just automatically know how to have the fruit of the Spirit.  God has given you the Spirit but it has to be nurtured to bear fruit.  There are three things that we have to have in order to grow spiritual fruit.  We must fear God, love God and have a desire for God.  If we are missing one piece it can cause us to view God in the wrong light.  For instance, if we don’t understand the “love” of God then we will begin to think of God as far-off and remote.  If we try to grow in our awareness of the love of God we may begin to see him as an indulgent Father who will not deal with our sin. 

There are key elements needed to grow the fruit bearing tree in your yard just as there are key elements required to grow spiritual fruit.  A tree will grow healthier fruit with water and fertilizer.  The same thing happens with spiritual fruit.  We must pray for growth and meditate on God by spending time with Him in His Word.  We must also fellowship with God which means we need a quiet time every day to meet personally with God.  He speaks to us through reading His Word and we speak to Him through prayer.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I want to produce an abundance of spiritual fruit in my life.  Please help me to slow down and take the time to meditate on your Word, worship You and fellowship with You.  Too many times I get so caught up in worldly things going on in this life, that I forget there is a much better life for me with You and that should be my main focus. 

Scripture:   Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. Psalm 86:11

 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.  Psalm 27:4