Fruit Production in Quarantine
Galatians 6:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.
We know without being told that there is a variety of gifts of the Spirit given to all God’s children (I Corinthians 12). And we’re comfortable with that because we wouldn’t want everyone to be a televangelist, for example.
But the fruits of the Spirit are available to all—every fruit mentioned in Gal. 6:22-23 can be produced in and through every one of us—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Notice that God’s directive in Galatians is not “so get producing, get to work bearing fruit.” As the Holy Spirit works its magic in us, the nine fruits are naturally produced.
This time of quarantine certainly prohibits us from being out in the world doing in ways we are accustomed to. We are even brought face to face with questions of identity without all the activities that usually take up our day planner. What an opportunity this is for God to get our attention! Undivided!!
I’m convinced that what God wants most from us is simply our being and our letting Him produce fruit in and through us. Quiet time gives the Holy Spirit a chance to plant within us new seeds of joyfulness, kindness, gentleness, and all the other fruit. Let us allow the Spirit to show us how to be patient and kind to ourselves, peaceful in our inmost being, celebrating the continued goodness of God in our lives. Then let us ask God for ways to offer that fruit to others.
Let us invite the Holy Spirit to invade our being with germinations we can’t imagine. Let us ask God to produce His unique fruit in and through us, that we might be more than ever our true selves. Let us release our former attempts to manage our orchard. God always has a better idea.
May we take a few quiet moments each day to let the Holy Spirit remind us that we are begotten of God and hold within us His essence. Therefore, seeds of all nine fruits are present in us, ready to sprout in new and mysterious ways.
I thank God that He is every moment working to make our fruit trees vehicles for His mercy and grace.
Ann G. O’Dell
Ann Glover O'Dell 