What a good message from Abby on Sunday. She shared wise words for our journey of fruitfulness this year, and hopefully you had a chance to hear her sharing. I appreciated the two points that we reflected on at the end of her message. Often, we can find ourselves investing our energy, time, and effort into things that are ultimately unfruitful. Our life groups are going through a series called Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table. The idea is that we often allow the enemy access to our thoughts, relationships, work, and lives. We end up focusing our energy and time on what the enemy is saying, which is ultimately unfruitful.
On the other hand, we also need to continue to be faithful with the things God is leading us toward, even if those things do not seem to be bearing immediate fruit. I think a good example is daily time with God. As Gabe mentioned on Sunday, when life becomes stressful and busy, it is often our time with God that is the first thing to go. Part of the reason is because we often don’t see the direct fruit of daily time with God. At times, our moments of prayer, or Bible reading, or worship don’t seem to have a direct effect on our lives.
In thinking about this, I’m reminded of the idea of mastering the basics. As some of you may know, Kobe Bryant was a basketball player who passed away in 2020. Something he was known for as a player was his work ethic and dedication to the game. Kobe was known to start practicing long before his teammates, which is part of what propelled him to the top of the league. Interestingly, what Kobe spent most of his time practicing was the basics. While he was respected for his finesse and skill in do-or-die situations, he was only able to perform at his best because he had practiced the basics.
We know from the gospels about Jesus’s morning routine as well. Mark 1:35 says,
“Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer.”
I obviously don’t mean to be sacrilegious in comparing the two. But I think the logic is similar. Fruitfulness in our lives as Christians is not the result of being able to perform well when asked. Being able to weather the storms of life does not come from stirring up endurance within ourselves when we are tested.
Rather, it comes from “mastering the basics.” Time with God allows us to connect with the grace and peace of God on a daily basis. Though we may not see the immediate fruit, the fruit of these moments becomes clear when life brings us challenges and moments of testing. It is from a relationship with God and communion with God that we are able to sustain ourselves and keep our faith as difficult moments arise.
Fruitfulness in our lives comes from mastering the basics like daily time with God. As God continues to challenge us in these areas, I pray that we will be faithful to God even when the fruit is not immediately apparent.