The Fruit of Perseverance

In our modern world, we are used to things happening quickly. Technology has made us very efficient, but impatient. Expecting our personal growth and maturity to be that way is mistaken. For that, we must look to nature, where growth happens slowly over time.

Consider how long it takes a mighty oak to grow or the months before any hope of harvest appears after the seeds are planted. Too often, we want to plant the seed one week and reap the harvest the next. The oak tree takes time to mature fully, but it is growing all along. The fruit of perseverance requires that we adjust our expectations for ourselves.

There was a time in my life when I felt I didn't finish anything. I was always starting healthy habits, but quickly giving up. Over time, this eroded my confidence, but I never gave up. I kept repeatedly starting and stopping things (exercise, journaling, water intake, etc.) until one day, I noticed I was stopping things less, and many of my goals had become fully incorporated into my life.

This is the fruit of perseverance. It takes time for all of us. Despite what our insecurities tell us, no one starts out automatically as a healthy adult. We practice. We try, fail, start, and stop, but those healthy practices eventually become integrated into our everyday lives if we don't give up.

Healthy growth is messy and not without setbacks. It is not easy for our flesh. We have a Helper who can empower us to bear the fruit of perseverance (faithfulness- Galatians 5:22). Ask the Holy Spirit to help you accomplish the good in your life that you know God wants for you. God wants all of His children to live healthy, fruitful lives. God wants to partner with us to be our best selves—who He created us to be —so that, despite the difficulties we face, we can bear good fruit and live life to the full. That is my prayer for you today, dear ones- may you partner with the Holy Spirit to bear the good fruit God wants in your lives.