Fruit takes time

No one, and I mean NO ONE plants a fruit tree, with an expectation to harvest the fruit in the same year. It takes time, patience, intentionality, and quite a bit of care. We pick the perfect spot in the yard, where it gets just enough sun and not too much wind. We put up barriers around the base of it, to keep our yard care technicians from cutting them down, or even nicking the young trunk as it struggles to nourish the rest of the growing tree and branches. We water daily and prune the dead leaves off of it when needed. We cover the tree when the temperature drops to low. We take care of it to make sure that in the years to come, fruit is produced that is good and worthy to be consumed by us and generations to come.

This is how we are to do in our spiritual walk as well. We should monitor how we take care of our spiritual fruit tree, so not allow the wind to blow to harshly on it. We should guard the growing tree by pruning out things that could choke it. We should maintain a healthy nourishment of God's word, and gathering with Godly people in praise, worship, and adoration of the Father. Growing spiritual fruit is not unlike growing natural fruit at all really, both take intentions to do so, and careful attention to every detail.

Before the tree can produce fruit, it takes time to mature. The tree grows, it spreads it's branches and then we see buds of the fruit start to show. After some time, the small fruit grows larger and larger until it is ripe for the picking. It is beautiful, full, bright in color…it is ready. However sometimes, if we do not take the time to select and pick the fruit, it can fall off of the tree sit on the ground. When this happens, immediately the fruit starts to rot. The longer fruit is in an environment without nourishment, close to bugs and devices that will eat away at the fruit, the more it starts to die and decay.

Why does this matter?

I'm glad you asked. Because, when we allow hatefulness and selfishness to creep into our lives and we do not place care on others as we should, we need to understand, that this did not happen overnight. This change started weeks and perhaps months ago, and we are just now seeing the effects of being away from a nurturing environment, much like that of natural fruit that we see.

At first, we discounted going to church and fellowship with God's people, for things that appear to be more important in our lives. Perhaps we were too tired from chasing the god(s) of this world. Then, we fail to pray as much, as it becomes a mundane practice that we simply write off because "God knows our hearts". Then before long, we don't pick up the Word as much, because after all, we listen to podcasts and preachers online, right? Isn't that the same thing? Do we even think to "fact check" them to see if they are preaching the truth? Most likely not, as our lives are so busy doing all the other stuff that does not matter.

Then before we know it, we have created a gap between us and the heart of God. Conviction of doing things halfway does not hit like it used to. We stop giving. We stop caring. We stop being the outreaching arms of God. The point is, that this does not happen overnight. Just as it takes time for good fruit to grow, it also takes some time before we are separated from God. Like that song, "Slow Fade" from Casting Crowns, this is a degrading that happens over time while we walk the other way from God's mercy.

So the main question is, What are you planting / sowing and what is being nourished that people can see in our lives? Remember this is not an instant win. We can either show great fruit by the Holy Spirit, or we can show rotten fruit by our selfish nature. But each one takes time. So don't give up just after a few weeks or months...be patient! God grows great fruit!