fruity tooty.

It's been a while, but I'm not sure what constitutes as a while in blog world. Anyways, there is a constant theme in my posts. It's a deep and good work. Thank you, God! Yesterday, at church, Marissa Minter encouraged me with this word:

"Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!" Habakkuk 3:17-19 (AMP)

Found on Pinterest.

It wasn't until this year that I realized how much I care about the fruit. I like to see results and solutions because I like when everything is in its place. I like winning by nature, so it kind of makes sense. I mean... Who doesn't like to see the fruit of pressing into the will of God? However, we will all experience seasons of seeing little to no fruit. We will all go through seasons where it seems like you've tried everything, including God, and nothing seemingly works. It's easy to give up. It's easy to feel defeated, discouraged and disappointed.

Earlier yesterday morning in discipleship, Ashley Jepsen gave this word: "This is the only time we get to praise God in our sorrow, hurt, pain, and brokenness! In heaven, there is none of that. This is a moment of sweetness and intimacy with God found nowhere else." And then we all wept. No joke. Wept. Bawled. Ugly cried. What have you. After our lives on earth, never again will we have the option of choosing God when there's nothing in us that even wants to. Never again will we have the opportunity to engrave a "yes" on our hearts towards God, when everything in our flesh says "no". Labor is a result of the fall. Never again will it matter if there's fruit on the vine, food on the fields, or cattle in the stalls. In eternity, the fruit doesn't matter; our response to God, regardless of the fruit, matters.

To take it even further, God proves himself despite our response because "he is who he is, regardless of who we are in our weakness". That was a good word, Carl. In our weakness, we have ugly, wretched hearts, but he says he wants them. He is the captivator of our hearts and proves himself as "my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army." He reminds us that we need HIM and not the fruit. He gives us the endurance and the encouragement to press through. He does not allow us "to stand still in terror, but to walk." He fights for us because he is about the process. He reminds us of our identity because of his victory on the cross. He not only takes us to the "high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility" but through them. Nowhere else will we experience this tender, beautiful part of God.