BECOMING FRUITIER

 AUGUST 1, 2022

Galatians 5:22-23

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things.

Don’t you love when summer fruits are in season? You wait and wait until your favorite ones are available. I find it is worth waiting for summertime produce to arrive. Nothing tastes better than a fruit salad prepared with fresh, local, seasonal fruit.

I was thinking the other day that just like our favorite fruits take time to develop before we can enjoy them, it takes time for the fruit of God’s Spirit to grow in us. It does not happen quickly, in a moment or with the snap of our fingers. I have discovered, that these nine fruits mentioned above do not tend to develop at the same rate. Our creator knows us, and God knows that some of His attributes, the fruits of the Spirit, take longer to produce in some of His followers, than they do in others. Our spiritual journey isn't a competition, it is a step by step growth patiently letting God produce his fruit in our lives.

You become “fruitier” (is that a word?) by abiding in the Vine, and through the work of God’s Spirit within you. In time, all nine fruits—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—will appear. Remember the song we used to sing “in His Time …. He makes all things beautiful, In His Time”?

Jesus said, “I am the sprouting vine and you’re the branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you-but when you live separated from me you are powerless” (John 15:5 The Passion Translation). Abide in Him and His fruitfulness will flow through you.

TAKE AWAY

Take a few minutes to slowly recite the fruits of the Spirit and ask God to show you the fruits in which you may need to grow and mature.