Patience and Fruitfulness

By Paul Chappell

"And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."

Luke 8:14-15

I read about a lady who called American Airlines and asked the reservation clerk, "How long does it take to get from Dallas-Fort Worth to Frankfort, Germany?" The clerk had to wait a moment for the information to come up on her computer screen, so she said, "Just a minute." The caller responded, "Thanks very much," and hung up! Most of the things that really matter in life do not happen in "just a minute."

It is easy for us to become impatient when God does not work on our timetable. Most of us want to see immediate results, but things don’t usually work that way in our lives. Instead we must go through the process of working and building and developing before we reach the goal. The great pioneer missionary Adoniram Judson labored in Burma for seven years before seeing his first convert. But rather than giving up and looking for an easier place to minister, he remained faithful, and eventually established many churches and saw thousands saved. Judson’s translation of the Bible into the Burmese language is still in use today, touching lives more than 150 years after his death.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: "The heights by great men reached and kept, were not obtained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night." If we are patient and continue steadfast in the work regardless of whether we see immediate results, we will reap the harvest "in due season" (Galatians 6:9). It is impossible to remain fruitful unless we first remain patiently faithful.

Tod

Today's Rooted Principle:

Do not be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Remain faithful, and the harvest will come.