Hello! At times in life we experience an overwhelming season of frustration and aggravation that causes us to lose out on the positive fruit bearing process that the Lord means for us to experience. What am I talking about? I am talking about going through! James 1:2-3 says it like this:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (different kinds of temptations and trials) 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
The Lord means for the troubles and trials to work patience but most of the time in my own life, I can testify that these trials only works AGGRAVATION! The truth is, God oftentimes allow some of our troubles so that these can work something into our character. You remember the verses of scripture in Galatians chapter 5 where it talks about the fruit of the spirit. When we go through, our character should always be affected. We can either respond by bearing good fruit or we can bear spoiled fruit and be bitter, complain, and be doubtful. This is, in reality, a process and we must always be mindful of how we respond to trouble, battles, assaults, and attacks from our enemy. If you have failed in this area, don’t sweat it. Just dust yourself off and continue to look to the Lord and His word. Repent and keep it moving. You are not the only one. I have failed time and time again in this area and am well qualified to speak on the subject. Sometimes we are going through a pruning process where the gardener (Father God) is pruning the dead leaves from us so that we can bear greater and more beautiful fruit. What season are you in? If you are in the dead of winter, hold on spring is coming. No season stays the same.
Father, I pray that the painful trials in my life will cause me to be refined in my character so that I can look more and more like Jesus. I want to bear the nature of Christ, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit….love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance! Never let the trials of life keep you from His feet!