Fruit in Season
by Gail Rodgers
**If you are hurting from the pain of having lost someone dear to you and you are not experincing peace, we care and want to pray for you. http://thelife.com/interactive/share.html
New kinds of fresh fruit began showing up on the grocery store shelves this week. Fruit that has been out of season for months is back!
The Bible says that “peace” is one of the “fruits of the Spirit.” Sometimes it feels as if that fruit goes out of season too. As the realities of the evening news come into my living room I think of that fruit of the Spirit. As the images and stories parade across the TV screen I sometimes feel my own sense of peace fading.
So I turn my attention to God’s Word to see again what He has to say about this fruit called peace. I discover afresh that His peace is never out of season. His peace is one that is offered to our hearts. But how do we pick this fruit? How do we have this peace in the midst of troubling news? Listen to what Jesus says.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
I am reminded that His peace is a gift. It won’t be found in conventional places or in ways the world offers. It is something directed to the heart and it replaces fear and anxiety.
To pick this fruit, to have this peace, I need to take action. I need to ask God to quiet my heart. I need to pray for those in charge in troubled days. I need to pray for those who suffer and for those who are hurt, confused and angry. I need to ask God to take the unease in my own heart and replace it with His gift of peace. I need to share the peace He gives me as I go through my day. This may mean offering to pray together with another who is worried.
Sometimes when the storm rages and the sea of life is not calm, the mighty hand of God comes in, by our invitation, and simply calms us. The peace of heart that comes from the Holy Spirit is a mystery. In the middle of the storm He brings a calm that can be explained no other way than by His divine care. We receive it in order to share it.
Ask God today for His fruit of peace in your heart and mind. Ask Him for an opportunity to share that fruit with those around you who need His peace in their heart today.
~Heavenly Father,
Please give Your divine peace to our hearts and to our minds. Remind us to pray for others and with others as we look to You for peace in our hearts and also in our world. We ask you to be with those whose responsibilities, emotions and thoughts are overwhelmed. Grant Your strength, wisdom and Your peace. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Questions: Are you experiencing peace today? If not, how can that peace be restored?
About the Author:http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/gail-rodgers/
18 Responses to “Fruit in Season”
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Thank you so much for the kind words and prayer, I know God has a plan and he wants me to trust him and let go of worry…Each of you are such a blessing in my life!
i would like to thank all of you ladies for your kind words as i go through this month of sorrow. i have come to hurt less about the losses but still have a tough time in aug.
sharon
mia i will be praying for you to keep up the payments and for a buyer for your busness
sharon
thank you all for your kind words and prayers for me
sharon
Cathy thank you for your kind words, Dianne thank you for your thoughts. First let me say it has been 23 yrs this 24th of August since we got that dreaded phone call and no I am not imprisoned by the pain of the loss of Lee-Anna. Yet when August comes around my mind goes through what we did every hour the day before, day of and the week after her accident. I am human. I know she is in a better place, she is with her real dad as he passed away when she was only 10 months old, both my parents her grandparents are now in Heaven with her but that still doesn’t ease the pain of missing her, of thinking she would be married now with her own children like her brother and cousins. There are no time limits on grief. I have a peace about the whole thing but that too doesn’t take away the pain of missing my daughter and I don’t think anything really will till I get to Heaven and see her again even though we will all be different then. I just Thank The Lord He Has that end of it all under control! Hugs, Linda!!!
“We receive it in order to share it.” I love it :-} .
LindaR. I have learned that with grief, if I don’t fight the flow of feelings, it passes more quickly. It is not a betrayal of the deceased to move beyond the pain of grief. Grief has its own time-table, and differs from person to person, and from loss to loss. Anniversary grief, as well as the occasional “ambush” (unexpected moment, often triggered by something like a song, a place, etc.) of grief can happen for years after a loss.
I had a miscarriage many years ago, and that loss was profound for me. To this day, there is a song that makes me cry every time I hear it, and I feel the pain and longing again. When I treasure that connection, but it is years between times when I experience that (probably because the song doesn’t get played on the radio anymore [but it is on the internet])
I pray that you no longer feel imprisoned by your pain, but that you be true to your heart and that you freely experience what you need to experience when you need to experience it.
Sharon, I pray the same for you.
I no longer feel the pain of losing my first little brother (43 years ago), and I rarely feel the pain of losing of my second little brother (7 years ago). I also don’t feel the pain of my father’s death (Jan 2007) much anymore. But let me read “The Little Prince” and I cry for my first little brother. Let me hear “Beautiful Child” by Fleetwood Mac and I cry for my miscarried baby. And let me think about the episode of Meerkat Manor when Shakespeare was bitten by a poisonous snake, and his sister couldn’t stop the effects of the poison, but stood guard over him anyway, and I cry for my dad.
I am grateful that I can cry for these people and that I can feel that pain; it puts me in touch with myself and the beauty and depth of my soul. But I am not ruled by the pain, and it is not a part of my daily life.
My dreams still include my second little brother and my dad, sometimes more often than others, but I am also not upset by that; those dreams are more like “little visits” to me (not that I believe they are really visiting), little reminders them having been a part of my life here.
I hope this helps. If not, put it on a shelf in your mind, or toss it out–whatever you prefer.
May the Lord bless you and keep you all.
Linda – My heart breaks for you. I just cannot imagine the loss of a child. If I even think about my kids not being here I can’t deal with it. May God comfort you this month and every month. From one mother’s heart to another, Cathy
Sharon you will be in my prayers as I can so relate to what you are going through as on the 24th of this month it is the anniversary date of the passing away of my 15 1/2 yr. old daughter and as much as I know she is with the Lord I have a terrible time going through this month, I just want September to come and come quickly. Loreli I will be praying for healing in your ear. Maia I will continue to be praying for you. Thank you for this wonderful devotional site where we can learn so much and grow in our Christian walk but also have the opportunity to share our hurts and pain with one another and also have the opportunity to pray for one another! Hugs, Linda!!!
Wonderful devotional. I can relate to grieving Sharon. I grieve once a month at the same time every month! Mom has been gone 2 years! Yesterday I sat and wrote it all out and cried and wow I felt the Lord’s presence! 1Peter 5:7 Casting all your care on him for he cares for you!
What a hope we have in Jesus! AFter my mom passed away mom came back in a vision and said thanks for sending me Heaven is gorgeous, If you want to be close to me start singing Praise Music to jesus as that is what I will be dong!
Maia, I stand in faith with you, God is faithful, for we do not walk by sight but by faith, keep on believing!!
God is so good, I needed this Word about peace this morning. I have lots of decisions to make about a move, and I think I am beginning to worry and tend to forget WHO I am supposed to let handle this, and give me the peace I need. Thanks for this Word.
Maia, There is always hope. We went through a very bad time when my husband was injured. We almost lost everything. But God had a plan for us as He does for you. It may not be the plan you have in mind but it is the right one when it comes from Him. I will be praying for you. Cathy
Loreli, we are praying for you, He is Jehovah Rapha the Lord that healeth thee, receive your hearing in Jesus’ name – Amen!!
Sharon the peace of God that passeth human understanding shall be your portion in this your trying period – be strong!!
Really needed this today!! We have alot going on and I know I must trust God, My husband had a business up for sale it has been on the market for two years, we prayed and decided to have an action last Sat. was the action and only two buyers showed up, I was almost paniced the realtor called the action off due to lack of biders. The payments, we are struggling to make and I know God has a plan a much beeter one than us, please pray that we can keep all payments current and trut God to see us through. Bless each of you!
Loreli, it sounds like you need to get to the doctor! You may have a middle ear infection. Please make this a priority today. God wants us to take advantage of the wisdom he has given to people – Drs., etc
– to help take care of ourselves.
Sharon, your family is in such a better place than we are. That is joufull in itself. We will get there to see them when God decides, but in the meantime know that they are healthy, happy, safe and in Gods Hands. We still have a journey to complete. They have completed theirs.
God Bless you all, Cathy
Sharon, indeed our hope is eternal glory where we will reconnect in a different way with our loved ones. The word of God tells us that we will know and be known in Heaven. Lord Jesus help Sharon today as she stands in faith knowing that you are the reason for Joy, peace and that you are her comfort during this troubling month. Help her to realize that her precious loved ones are dancing with you today full of completeness and wholeness and they are happy, laughter fills heaven as they walk with you, getting to interact with a Holy God. On earth Lord it is hard to remain -there is so much pain but help her to receive the Joy of you today and trust that you are taking care of her every need. In Jesus name Amen.
Ladies I have had a terrible night with an ear ache and am battling this morning with it also, while writing this I am dizzy and I have a full work load, 10 hours at least please pray as I interact with clients today and drive that this will pass and I will be able to drive and meet with everyone, Thankyou, Love to all, Loreli
I find it amazing that these emails tend to be exactly what I need to hear. Last night I was praying that I let go of my wants and allow God’s peace to be visible in my life – and this morning I read this… I feel like God has reached out and touched me. God Bless!
thank you for this devotional. this month is a sad one for me. my mother died on the28th 18years ago and my brother died on the 29th of this month 4years ago.i am going on but this month is just sad time for me i know though i will see them again.
sharon