31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 31

In late August, my sweet co-worker bought me this lovely plant for my birthday.  She said I needed something green and living in my office.  I smiled at her and told her I had a black thumb, so I should probably take it home and place it in my husband’s watchful care.

Pat is apparently an optimist, so she made me promise to water it once a week and not take it home.  This would be an office plant.

Knowing my track history with all things living, I quickly snapped a picture of the pretty plant with my iPhone so that I could remember it after its demise.

Folks, I promise you I did as I was told.  I watered that little plant and prayed over it.

“Live, pretty plant.  Please live,” I fervently prayed.

A few weeks later, Pat breezed into my office on a Monday morning to chat about some pending business.  She glanced sideways at the plant, and then she shrugged her shoulders and resigned herself to the inevitable.

“Take it home to your husband,” she agreed.

The little plant that could was holding on, but it was less green and less vibrant.  It was not thriving under my care.

I packed the living thing into my car later that day and handed it over to my favorite gardener.   “Pat ordered me to bring it home.  Do you think you can save it?”

My husband cradled the plant and examined it closely.

“It needs sun,” he diagnosed.

He placed it gently by the window where the rays of light could penetrate.

Right then, the Holy Spirit spoke to me very clearly — tell them about this moment on Day 31.  End here.

Tell them they need the Light of the Son.

Without Him, nothing thrives.

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But what happens when we live God’s way?

He brings gifts into our lives,

much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—

things like affection for others,

exuberance about life, serenity.

We develop a willingness to stick with things,

a sense of compassion in the heart,

and a conviction that a basic holiness

permeates things and people.

We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments,

not needing to force our way in life,

able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.”

Galatians 5:22-23, MSG

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Q4U:  What steps do you take daily to spend time with the Son?

Thanks for joining me on this crazy adventure!  Here is a complete list with links to all 31 posts in this series.  I may have a black thumb, but I am determined to learn how to cultivate my spiritual life.

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Thanks for stopping by! I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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I am linking up with like-minded sisters at Thriving Thursdays, Tell His Story,  Wednesdays in the Word, A Little R and R, Soli Deo Gloria, Rich-Faith Rising, Playdates with God, Hear it on Sunday: Use it on Monday, The Weekend Brew, Still Saturday, Spiritual Sundays and Faith-Filled Friday. I am joining The Nester and like-minded sisters for this crazy challenge:

31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 30

The purpose of fruit is to nourish the body.  Your fruit must be given away.  You must allow others to consume it.  You can’t hoard it like a miser or let it rot away out of apathy and disinterest.

Do you want to be fruitilicious?  Ask God to show you how your fruit can be used to sustain those in your circle of influence.

Give it all away.

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“Our people must also learn

to engage in good deeds

to meet pressing needs,

so that they will not be unfruitful.”

Titus 3:14, NASB

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Q4U:  What are some practical ways that we can intentionally nourish others?

Come back tomorrow for Day 31 of “31 Days to Fruitful Living.” We will wrap up this most “fruitilicious” series.  I may have a black thumb, but I am determined to learn how to cultivate my spiritual life.

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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I am joining The Nester and like-minded sisters for this crazy challenge:

31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 29

Sow self-control.  At the root of this fruit is contentedness.    A person who is temperate is not indulgent or reckless; rather, he acts with common sense and with sober-mindedness.

Self indulgence is like a cancer that eats away at your fruitfulness.  Do you want your fruit to be sweet and tasty?  Then, tap into the divine Help of the Holy Spirit and learn to say no to your flesh.

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“An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
    they are ropes that catch and hold him.
 He will die for lack of self-control;
    he will be lost because of his great foolishness.”

Proverbs 5:22-23, NLT

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Q4U:  How do you combat the cancer of self-indulgence?

Come back tomorrow for Day 30 of “31 Days to Fruitful Living.” We will discuss how to avoid “unfruitfulness.”  I may have a black thumb, but I am determined to learn how to cultivate my spiritual life.

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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I am joining The Nester and like-minded sisters for this crazy challenge:

Photo Credit:  Patrick Nijhuis

31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 28

To cultivate the fruit of gentleness, one must surrender personal rights.    The meek wholeheartedly offer themselves to an awesome God in reverence.  I love how Pastor Chuck Smith explains it:

“The word meek can probably best be defined

by putting a hyphen in the middle of it: me-ek.

It is again looking at myself in the light of the Lord

and realizing that I am nothing.”

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“Happy are those who claim nothing,

for the whole earth will belong to them!”

Matthew 5:5, PHI

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Q4U:   How do you define meekness?

Come back tomorrow for Day 28 of “31 Days to Fruitful Living.” We will chat about how to cultivate gentleness. I may have a black thumb, but I am determined to learn how to cultivate my spiritual life.

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

___

I am joining The Nester and like-minded sisters for this crazy challenge:

Photo Credit:  Alicia Jo McMahan

31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 27

Sow gentleness.

Meekness is strength under the control of the Holy Spirit.  A gentle person exercises personal power without abuse.  This fruit is infused with grace.  One who is gentle has received grace and understands the importance of humbly extending it to others.  Meekness requires a submissive spirit that trusts that God is good.

When I was a young believer in my teens, I remember thinking that meekness was not going to be possible for me.  By nature, I was highly boisterous, strongly opinionated, and easily annoyed.  Meekness must be for pastor’s wives and missionaries, I thought.  Surely, God did not expect me to be a doormat.  I was a lion, not a lamb.

Now, 30 years later, I look back and smile.   I realize that God is a God of order.  He is in charge, and I am not.  Throughout my life, God has patiently allowed me to experience turmoil, disappointment, and pain.  At each turning point, I had to make a decision — would  I trust that God is sovereign and good?  If so, then I must submit.  I must obey.  I must walk forward trusting in His grace.

Today, I may occasionally roar, but more often I just choose to follow and let God do the roaring.

If you allow God to tame you, you will be a docile lion for God.

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“A servant of the Lord must not quarrel

but must be kind to everyone,

be able to teach,

and be patient with difficult people.

Gently instruct those who oppose the truth.

Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts,

and they will learn the truth.”

II Timothy 2:25-26, NLT

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Q4U:  Do you roar or do you follow?  How has God developed meekness in you?

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Come back tomorrow for Day 28 of “31 Days to Fruitful Living.” We will chat about how to cultivate gentleness.  I may have a black thumb, but I am determined to learn how to cultivate my spiritual life.

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

___

I am joining The Nester and like-minded sisters for this crazy challenge:

Photo Credit:  Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo