“Be Fruitful”
By Rev. Everett Kimble
“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’ No, despite all these things, we are more than conquerors through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:31-27).
Suicide is a choice. Let me say that again, suicide is a choice, but each and every day many of us, as believers choose spiritual suicide because we refuse to believe that we are who God says we are and that we have what God says we have. We miss true love because we believe that love is tied to some worldly emotion. We forfeit our joy because we forget that real joy rest is Jesus. Peace becomes elusive because we are looking for peace in all the wrong places. Impatience sets in because we become frustrated with people of the world. We are bitter and unkind because others have been unkind to us, and we have forgotten what it feels like to just do something good for someone because it has been so long since someone has done something good for us. But, most of all we have lost our faith because we have some twisted notion that God has not been faithful.
The good news today is that you can revive your spirit once again if we stop being fretful and become fruitful. Galatians 5:22 says that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. One way to release that spirit of suicide that may be growing inside of you is to get back to picking fruit.
Find somebody to love on today despite how you feel. Spread a little joy even though you may be struggling to find your own. Be patient with others even when it gets hard and show kindness because a little kindness goes a long way. Make up your mind to do something good today; I am sure you will have at least one opportunity, but most of all have faith and trust in God. It may feel like He has abandoned you at times, but in reality He has never left your side.
Suicide is a choice which means that right now today you can choose something much, much better. You can choose to live bigger, better, and stronger in Christ Jesus.
“…despite all these things, we are more than conquerors through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Have a blissful, blessed and bountiful Friday!
