Growing Some Fruit

Business for business sake can make one weary very quickly. When we labor without a cause, we often find ourselves burnt out, trudging on in dutifulness, wandering why we are forcing ourselves to continue. It is then that God and God alone should be our focus. Becoming awestruck is the way God regrabs our attention from the hustle and bustle and helps us to prioritize. He wants us to know why we are busy and for Whom we are busy.

By putting myself in "fix it" mode, I could make myself "feel" better and continue on, so I thought.

In a previous post I stated that God had lead me to three passages to study during this time in my life. Before continuing my thoughts from Psalm 127 I must insert James 1:1-5.

On my journey, I was stepping into the Dark. The hallway that leads to the Dark is what I call the tunnel of despair. I was happily married, had two beautiful, health babies, yet I was not "happy." This unhappiness continued to grow inside of me until I was completely engulfed with Despair.

You must remember, I was only sleeping four to five hours a night, eating junk food or not eating at all, and drinking caffeine to keep myself going. All of these, I have since learned, caused me to start walking into Despair.

Circumstance's were not the cause of my depression. I was! God was allowing me to use my will to make choices that were leading me into this place so I could learn some valuable lessons in my walk with Him.

READ James 1:1-5 and follow me.

God also lead me, so graciously, to this passage and began to teach me the pattern to JOY that I want to share with you today.

James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptation. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Frist let me say, joy and happiness are not one in the same. Joy is found and experienced in a relationship. We find joy in our relationships with our spouses, children and friends. But, we must find it in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It is developed or matured, if you will, by growth in our relationship with The Holy Spirit. He must reside within for you to develope this fruit. Its' maturing can only take place by being tested so patience can be developed. And get this, patience is also a fruit, the bud of which cannot break forth until some pressure has been applied. We cannot have joy in the Lord, until God, through His providenial direction, has helped us to develope patience.

Chew on that today and we will return to this thought tomorrow.