This reminded me of the time Jesus cursed the fig tree. There was no fruit that was being produced, he cursed it, and it died. How many times, if we are honest, have we not been producing the fruit we should be producing? The Lord posed some hard questions to me this morning. Have I been producing fruit, or just the idea of fruit on the way, the flowers? Do we only get as far as the promise of fruit, but it never comes? Are we taking up space, and taking away space from those that will be producing fruit?
It's not easy to take the time to look, I mean REALLY look, in our hearts and pose the hard questions. Force our flesh to be challenged. See beyond our pride. Have a kingdom perspective.
I'm not saying we all need to be yanked out of the ground if we are not producing fruit in our lives, but instead, make the changes so that there is fruit, and in abundance. We don't want to be like the "squash" plant. Taking up space, giving the appearance of fruit but never delivering. I have been around people like that and situations like that. The time that is invested feels almost wasted. I am grateful that God continues to tend the garden of our lives. When we allow Him to prune, through the pain, producing more fruit.
So the questions I have been confronted with today will be the same I challenge you with:
What areas of my life have not been producing the fruit that it needs to be producing?
Am I in the place where God wants me to produce, or taking the place of others that need to be there?
The fruit I am producing, is it after the Spirit or the flesh? (Everything we do produces fruit.)
And don't forget, when the Vinedresser brings the pruning sheers it's a good thing. He will only prune where He sees fruit, that it may produce even more!!!
Blessings,
Rhonda