Fruit of the Harvest

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://encounterchurch.org/messages] 

Have you ever had one of those really intense reflective moments that tend to happen very late at night or very early in the morning—one of those moments where you see yourself and your life in an entirely different light, and suddenly things become clear? Your path of change is laid out in your mind and you are ready to take action. And then, you wake up to face the next day, and go about your normal tasks as always. A week goes by, and still you take no action on your “epiphany”…then you wake up a few months later and think, how did I get here? Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

We live in a world where we want instant gratification and quick fixes. Instead of putting in hours at the gym, maybe we can simply drink a strange concoction of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to melt off our extra weight. Or, when it comes to professional development, isn’t it easier to `just keep getting the job done rather than pushing yourself to grow and innovate? As the mom of a 7-month-old, I’m notorious for reading articles such as “5 steps to night-weaning,” “10 minutes to keeping your house spotless,” and “3 ways to help your child nap longer.” But as we all know, most of those step-by-step processes don’t work. Babies start teething or get sick; your house becomes infested with carpenter ants (yes, really—that happened this week); or you are gone all weekend and your child only sleeps while riding in the car.

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it does tend to happen over time, little by little. Every small decision we make can eventually lead to end results. Choosing to have a side salad instead of fries. Attending a webinar on collaboration through servant leadership to push your team to the next level. Putting your child to bed at approximately the same time every night. While some of these decisions might be intentional, the reality is that we make small decisions everyday without giving them a second thought.

Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons, user winecountrymedia

These small decisions can either lead to destruction or eternal life. As Paul writes in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Good decisions compounded over a long period of time can produce great results. We might not have instant gratification, but we should not give up in daily seeking to model our lives after Christ. Perseverance in doing good will lead to a bountiful harvest; we must only be patient and wait on the Lord’s timing to see His fruit.

God wants to plant in us the fruits of the Spirit—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). When He sows these seeds in our heart, they will grow, and in His timing will produce amazing fruit for His Kingdom.

However, we can also let the acts of the flesh grow in our hearts—“sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (Galatians 5:19-21). Some items on this list might seem extreme, but it only takes small steps in the wrong direction to lead to destruction.

For example, your mind strays just a little too far when you see a suggestive ad on TV; that turns into time spent on your computer looking at pornography; and that can lead further down the path of sexual immorality. Or, you spend one night drinking too much, only to find yourself months later binging every weekend, realizing that alcohol has consumed your social life, your finances, and your self worth. It’s so much easier to trick ourselves into thinking that one small decision won’t make a big difference in our lives. But the reality is that these seemingly insignificant decisions really determine the direction of our heart’s compass.

So, in light of the fruit of the sinful nature and the fruit of the spirit, is there a sense in which your heart needs a recalibration to true north—towards Christ—in order to avoid destruction? God wants us to seek Him in every small and large decision in order to plant the seeds of the fruits of the Spirit and bring His kingdom here on earth. Reflect on your own life today and ask God to reveal to you areas in which your heart might need a recalibration to true north. Then ask that He help you begin the process of eternal change, one step at a time, so that you might reap the bountiful harvest of His Kingdom.

[Megan Stephenson is a proud new mom to her seven-month-old son August and spends her days trying to figure out how to take care of her tiny human. She also works for a private education group in Grand Rapids as an Assistant Registrar. Megan loves spending time with her husband, Ben, trying out new breweries, restaurants, and local attractions. She also self-identifies as a crazy cat lady, despite owning no cats of her own, thanks to her loving and allergic husband.]