Finding Fruitfulness in This Season
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) Remain in Christ.
Are you in a season of bareness or Fruitfulness?
Are you experiencing the pain of stretching that happens in the wilderness or the joy of reaping a harvest in the cultivated land where you've settled a while?
See, it takes dry, dark and painful places to appreciate the true beauty and blessing in the wet, radiant and purposeful places where you are able to soar.
Week after week, for 40 days to be exact, the community I serve and I have been evaluating what it means to be fruitful and the conversation continues each week on Clubhouse as those who consider themselves to be Christian Content Creators examine scriptures and discuss what it means to be fruitful.
Before I share some of the things that have stood out the most during these deep exchanges and perspectives vocalized, I want to invite you to consider the definition of Fruitfulness:
Fruitfulness is a state of being extremely productive or prolific.
Merriam-Webster defines Fruitful as yielding or producing fruit, conducive to an abundant yield and abundantly productive.
Now that you've considered the words that exemplify fruitfulness like: Productive, Prolific, abundance (My word for 2020 & 2021 by the way) let's add some of the other words that come to my mind like: Pruned, Disciplined, Increasing, Process...It's all a process, isn't it? For Fruitfulness to be rich and abundant in our lives, it requires a level of steadfastness and stability that only come from being tested, tried and true. We gain the strength and the building up of character that happens in the desolate places to thrive in the season of Flourish that God has for us ahead.
I'm always encouraged and comforted to know that if I am experiencing something, it is because the Lord knows I am capable to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13) and overcome as a believer and child of God. The key is to Remain in Christ and recognize I can do nothing a part from him if I want withstand the darts of the enemy sure to come my way! (Proverbs 17:17).
Towards the end of 2020 on my way home from a church service, I found myself crying out to God. At an unusually long stoplight, I pulled out my phone to record a plea, prayer and song recorded in that moment because I wanted to remember and put words to the longing in my heart for something more. I could not see with my natural eye as the dimness and darkness surrounded me and I began to pray bold prayers for what I have yet to see come to pass in my life, calling and ministry. Although I was consistent in showing up to serve & lead in worship and be present as needed in the body of Christ physically and virtually, there was this sense of bareness I could not shake and I just had to cry out to God "Haaa!!" It is in you I live, move and breathe-Jesus, envelope me in your arms. I "Thirst for You" and I Thirst for More!
I wish I could say immediately I saw the fruits of my prayers, what I can say it was shortly after that cry out to my savior that I felt His holy presence close reminding me of whose I am and how faithful He is to complete the work He has begun. Even now in this season, I am seeing a harvest from those tears, seeds sown, watering or prayers in that season of wilderness and hope is revived for what is yet to come because we serve a "Miracle Working God." (Another song I would sing consistently as a child growing up in the islands)
Please Be Encouraged in this moment as you are reading and connecting. Remember: It is in the waiting that we find peace, purpose and God's sovereignty at work. The Fruit of The Spirit richly abounds in us as we go through the seasons God has called us to as we celebrate this precious gift of life. We can choose to cultivate these fruits of Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance (Galatians 5:22-23) whether we are in a season of waiting in the wilderness or flourishing in the lush of the rich, green harvest.
It is the Lord who giveth and taketh away. He gives the increase. Recognize, Acknowledge and proclaim His power and deity that all things have to pass through His loving & just hands. Here are some highlighted scriptures from our Fruitfulness Calendar that I hope encourages you as you continue on this journey to Finding Fruitfulness in This Season:
“‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’” (Ezekiel 17:23-24)
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3)
Blessed are those who put their trust in the Lord:
Then our sons will be like plants nurtured in their youth, our daughters like corner pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our storehouses will be full, supplying all manner of produce; our flocks will bring forth thousands, tens of thousands in our fields. Our oxen will bear great loads. There will be no breach in the walls, no going into captivity, and no cry of lament in our streets. Blessed are the people of whom this is so; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD. (Psalm 144: 12-15)
Pray with me: Lord, help me to be planted and rooted in love, in you. I abide in you this day. Oh God, allow me to flourish -to be like a tree planted by the river streams, receiving your natural nutrients and nurturance.
Stacy's 1st book was published at the age of 17 and she has since designed custom planners, prayer journals, written award winning featured Praise and Worship songs and provide invaluable resources through her blog and collaborative partnerships. You can follow her on Instagram @ladystacyzant, on Facebook @StacyZantCreate and on her Podcasts-Radiant Pearl Living & The Fearless Creator.
