Fearless and Fruitful

1.8.2010

Luke 8:13 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. ESV

What is a plant with no root, but flimsy and fruitless. The plants we’ll buy at the nursery this spring are for the most part untested plants that though they look great fresh from the greenhouses they haven’t been tempered by the elements and when the wind and the rain come they fall down out of weakness.

Testing is essential for the life of the child of God. The ocean of emotion present in a new or immature believer must never be mistaken for strength to endure – only through the pain of testing, disappointment, and failure, can there be the great gain of God’s blessing.

A great way to understand testing is to look at the varied and numerous difficulties of our lives and accept and embrace them as God-ordained to affect righteousness and strengthening within us so that we may be fearless and fruitful. Testing is what God does to get us to grow strong and healthy – temptation is the weakness of the flesh wanting to fall away.

O how many times I have whined and complained at how difficult and pointless my life is not realizing that my difficulties are my teachers to get me to think and respond in a manner that is pleasing to God.

Father God,

You desire for my life is that I become fearless and fruitful. You desire infinite and eternal success for me…but You don’t allow me to dictate or define what that success is because You know I would always settle for less. You know just what I need. Help me again today to accept the difficult people, places, and things in my life as my teachers that help me to grow up strong in grace, well-tested that I may gain Your desire – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.