Am I producing fruit? That is a good question to ask and to examine our hearts, our calendars, our lifestyle and priorities. That can also be a scary and intimidating question to ask ourselves as global workers. Maybe at times you feel like you aren’t producing enough fruit. Maybe like me, you have questioned yourself —am I really making a difference? Is my time and work here worth all the money that supporters are sending? There have been times that I have sat down in front of my computer to write a newsletter and didn’t know what to say. Our work in Europe was keeping the children’s and youth ministry running at a local church and that involved a lot of daily tasks that didn’t sound that exciting in a newsletter. We were planting seeds and we didn’t see people turning to God on a weekly basis. It was often small conversations and helping people move in a slow direction of understanding their need for God.

Let’s not limit this question of producing fruit to our ministry contexts. Of course, we want to see good results and we want to be able to see and measure change and fruit, but there are other kinds of fruit too and sometimes that fruit can be overlooked. It’s the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives and homes.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

We all know these verses but it wasn’t until recently that I realized that these are evidence of the fruit of the Spirit! Am I producing fruit? Do I see this fruit of the Spirit in my life: self-control, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, patience, peace, joy, love?

So often I think of producing fruit as something by which I can justify my ministry overseas or a way to chart progress and effectiveness. And we do want to be effective and work hard and pray lots for our ministries. But producing fruit isn’t limited to our ministry. Jesus tells us in John 15 the importance of abiding in Him. That’s our source for bearing fruit. As we remain in Him, spend time with Him, allow His Word to penetrate our lives, we see the fruit of the Spirit transforming our lives. Sometimes it’s in little ways, but be on the lookout for how He is producing fruit in you as you walk in step with Him.