Imagine having a tree in your backyard, one that you've overlooked for years, only to discover it bears the most delicious, abundant fruit. All the while, you've been spending money on inferior produce from the store. This tree, full of life and potential, has been right there, waiting for you to notice its bounty.
The same is true for the spiritual fruit in our lives. We often seek fulfillment from external sources, paying a high price for something substandard, when the true abundance is available within us. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—is bountiful and accessible to all who seek it.
In the church, we can observe four kinds of fruit bearers, or branches:
Branches that do not bear fruit: These are cut off. Just as a gardener removes dead branches to allow the tree to thrive, God prunes away what does not bear fruit in our lives.
Branches that bear fruit: These are pruned to encourage more growth. The process of pruning can be painful, as it involves removing parts of ourselves that we might hold dear. Yet, it is through this pruning—through the washing of the Word—that we begin to bear more fruit.
Branches that bear more fruit: These branches have undergone pruning and are now flourishing. They are being shaped and refined, producing more abundantly than before.
Branches that bear much fruit: These are the branches that abide in Christ. By remaining in Him, we are able to bear much fruit, reflecting the true nature and character of Jesus.
God desires for us to be in the place where we bear much fruit, living lives that are full and abundant.
Psalm 1 illustrates the ideal: a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in its season. We often think of fruit as simply winning souls, but it is much more. True fruit encompasses the character and virtues we develop—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It is not just about bringing others to Christ, but about embodying the nature of Christ in our own lives.
Pruning is essential. A tree that grows too big too fast without proper pruning becomes gnarly and produces small, ugly fruit. Similarly, in our spiritual lives, if we are not pruned, we can become spiritually unhealthy, bearing fruit of malice, jealousy, and unforgiveness.
Pruning is not a gentle process. It involves God removing our favorite things, humbling us, and refining us. But it is through this process that we are shaped into His image. Hebrews 12:6 tells us that the Lord disciplines those He loves. This discipline, this pruning, is a sign of His love for us and His desire for us to bear much fruit.
As we go through this process, we begin to bear fruit that resembles Jesus Christ. It is through our willingness to be pruned that we show evidence of Christ in us. Jesus told Peter, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me" (John 13:8). This washing, this pruning, is what allows us to have union with Christ. Our willingness to be pruned is a testament to our relationship with Him. It shows that we are attached to the vine, drawing life and sustenance from Jesus, and producing fruit that glorifies God.
We have the potential for great abundance within us, just like the overlooked tree in our backyard. By abiding in Christ and allowing Him to prune us, we can bear much fruit—fruit that reflects His character and brings glory to God. Let us embrace the pruning process, knowing that it is through this that we grow and flourish, becoming trees planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in its season. So today, Preacher Girl, know that you are capable of bearing much fruit and abiding in Him. Don’t pursue inferior fruit but rather stay attached to the True Vine who produces the BEST fruit in us.
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