Is Your Life Bearing Fruit?
As I get older, one of the things I increasingly value is that of growth, especially personal growth as I believe this encompasses every area of our lives. There are so many layers to each of us and so many things that we always have to discover, but do we really take the time to do so? How much time do we truly invest in ourselves and our growth?
I am such a natural lover of and giver to people, so I know oh too well the struggle of giving to everyone and then somehow neglecting myself in the process. However, I’ve learned the hard way that this approach leaves me empty, weary, drained and burnt out, and when I reach this stage it becomes such a challenge for me to pour into others.
I wholeheartedly believe that the moment we begin to see ourselves as valuable as we those we invest in, our lives will become that much richer and more fulfilling. With that being said, I think there are some key things we should all remember.
Firstly, GOD IS WORTH YOUR INVESTMENT!
My faith has always been the primary thing that keeps me grounded in a world of craziness, because the truth is that sometimes life can become very hectic and chaotic. Being in graduate school is a journey I love, but it’s just that, a journey. It’s not easy, it’s not a walk in the park, and if I’m not careful I will easily burn out; but my relationship with God has always kept me sane – and I mean that!
I realised that when I don’t spend enough time feeding my spiritual self I become overwhelmed that much quicker, I become irritable easier, and I really just feel so weary and empty. Time with God always rejuvenates and refuels in more ways than we truly know. I was at a Young Adults retreat a few weeks ago and someone told me that when we operate from a spiritual level of 100, we can begin to accomplish so much more than if we did not.
It is definitely possible to be spiritually maximised while humanly running on close to E, but it is in moments like these that we truly recognise that our strength comes from the Lord, not from us. In Philippians 4:13 we are reminded that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us; God wants to strengthen us, but we have to reach out and desire Him to do so as well. God wants to give our souls rest, but He asks us to come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30); ask yourself this question, “Is my soul at rest?”
Secondly, YOU ARE WORTH YOUR INVESTMENT!
Whatever the reason for you putting yourself on the back burner, it is not a good enough reason. How can we pour into others if we have nothing being poured into us? We can’t give from an empty well even if our hearts want to. The negligence of investing time into ourselves and to our growth is such a disservice that none of us should ever run towards. Self-care is so key!
Take time to take a breather from the world and everything in it and just zone into you-time. Take some time to pray, read the Word, process life and really assess where your life is, where you have been and where you are heading. Taking a break from the busyness of life refreshes the soul. There is beauty in serenity.
Thirdly, PEOPLE ARE WORTH YOUR INVESTMENT!
I LOVE PEOPLE! I always remember hearing that no man is an island, and whether we are parents, married or single, we all need people on this journey we call life. There is something truly fulfilling about serving others that cannot be compared to anything else, and I believe that is one of the innate drives we were all fashioned with since God is a relational God.
We grow when we invest in people because not only do we see opportunities and changes in them, but we also see these things in ourselves. I believe that introspection is something we should all make some time for at one point or another, but it’s so amazing how it can happen when we are pouring into someone else and discover things about ourselves we didn’t know before.
When you pour into people not only are you propelling them to grow, but they propel you to grow as well!
Finally, YOUR FRUIT IS WORTH YOUR INVESTMENT!
We cannot produce good fruit unless we ultimately invest in our faith walk. Every area of our growth stems from what we feed our spirits and our souls. In Galatians 5:22-23 we are told that the Fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” When the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of us, these attributes should be painted all over the canvas of our lives.
These attributes all sound good and I’m sure we all think of them as positive ones, but they can be challenging to live out at times. Just because you struggle with them does not mean that you are a failure nor does it mean that you should quit trying! When we love God we desire to be like Him, and the more time we get to know Him, the more we will truly reflect Him; but we’ve got to invest into it.
So ask yourself, are you truly invested in the Fruit of your character? If so, how can you continue to be, and if not, what are some reasons for that? I hope that you have been encouraged and that today you will truly view investment as not just important, but as a deep desire of your heart!
Found this post empowering? Tell us how applicable these points about growth and embracing change were to you in the comment section below!
Kathilia Edghill Guest Blogger
Kathilia Edghill is a creative soul from the island of Barbados with a big heart for God, her family and for others. She has a deep love those around her which led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Counselling in Denver, Colorado to become a Licensed Professional Counsellor as well as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Additionally, she also has a passion and desire to be a missionary. Along with this, Kathilia is a writer, blogger, dancer, singer lover of pineapples and poet. She finds joy in ministry, a large part of which is pouring into the lives of others and ultimately honouring God.