Fruitfulness for Eternity
Word of the Year: Fruitful
I wanted fruitfulness to be growth—fast and evident to me, maybe even to the world.
At the start of the year, I imagined visible results: areas of my life that would feel vibrant, blooming, moving forward. I thought I’d see progress I could point to—something measurable, affirming. And while there have been moments of encouragement, much of this year has asked me to slow down, examine, and realign.
Because not all fruit is the lasting kind. And not everything that grows… stays.
“I chose you… to bear fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)
Jesus told His disciples that He appointed them—not just to bear fruit, but to bear lasting fruit. There’s something deeply comforting and deeply confronting in that.
Comforting, because lasting fruit doesn’t rely on my speed or ability.
Confronting, because it asks me to consider: What kind of fruit am I building toward?
Paul speaks to this in 1 Corinthians 3. He writes about people building on the foundation of Christ with different materials—some with gold, silver, and costly stones, and others with wood, hay, or straw. The fire will test it, Paul says. What’s built to last will remain. What isn’t will burn.
I don’t think Paul’s warning was just about false teachers or dramatic failures. I think it’s also about the temptation to build fast, to build visibly, to build impressively… but not deeply.
Temporary vs. Eternal
It’s easy to confuse momentum with fruit. To think that if something is growing, moving, producing, it must be good. But even weeds grow fast.
Scripture gives us a very different picture of lasting fruit. It looks like:
Love that costs something
Forgiveness that stretches you
Faithfulness in the small, quiet work
Truth spoken in love, even when it’s hard
Obedience when no one is watching
I’m preaching to myself here first. I need to hear this too.
I can spend a lot of energy on things that feel fruitful in the moment—content I’ve created, work I’ve done, goals I’ve hit—and still miss the deeper work God is trying to do in me. Good things, even ministry things, can be built on urgency, insecurity, or performance.
But they don’t always last.
Choosing the Lasting Kind
The kind of fruit that remains comes from abiding. Staying. Not pushing ahead, but staying rooted in Christ. That’s what Jesus said in John 15: “Remain in me… then you will bear much fruit.” Not “try harder” or “do more”—but remain.
That’s the invitation, and also the challenge.
Fruit that lasts is usually slower. It’s often quieter. It may not feel impressive at all. But it’s real. It’s God-shaped. It grows out of a different kind of soil—one that values being over doing, and roots over results.
The longer I walk with Jesus, the more I see that His timeline for growth isn’t mine. I want things to bloom in spring. He sometimes waits until fall—or even next year. And sometimes the deepest growth happens in winter, when everything looks still.
Still Becoming
If you, like me, have felt the tension between wanting fast fruit and being invited into slow, hidden work—take heart.
God sees the kind of fruit you’re bearing, even when no one else does.
And He’s not rushing you.
You were created to bear fruit that will last—not fruit that just gets noticed.
A Prayer
Lord,
Teach me to invest in what will last.
Help me let go of shallow success and choose the deep, slow, kingdom kind of fruit.
Shape my priorities around Your timeline—not mine.
Let my life bear fruit that remains.
Reflection Questions
What fruit in my life am I trying to grow too quickly?
What do I hope will last?
Where am I tempted to settle for temporary outcomes?
How can I anchor my work and time more deeply in Christ?
