What Is Growing in Your Life? Understanding the Fruit of the Spirit
Have you ever stopped and really paid attention to what kind of fruit is growing in your life lately?
Not just on the good days when everything feels calm and manageable, but on the overwhelming days too. The rushed moments. The frustrating moments. The moments where you feel stretched thin before your feet even hit the floor in the morning.
Because if we’re honest, pressure has a way of revealing what is really rooted inside of us.
It’s easy to focus on all the outward things in life. The schedule, the responsibilities, the laundry piling up, the dishes in the sink, the constant movement from one thing to the next.
But underneath all of that… something is always growing.
The question is, is the fruit of the Spirit growing in your life?
The Fruit of the Spirit Doesn’t Grow Overnight
Galatians 5:22-23 says,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…”
And something that has stood out to me before is that Scripture says fruit, not fruits.
It is one fruit with many different aspects growing from the same root.
I think sometimes we separate them in our minds and focus only on the ones that feel easier or more natural to us. Maybe we feel strong in kindness, but weak in patience. Maybe we are faithful in one area, but struggling to walk in peace somewhere else.
But the goal is not to pick and choose which parts of spiritual fruit we want growing in our lives.
As we stay rooted in Him, we should desire all of these things to be developed in us.
Not perfectly overnight, but progressively as we mature and continue walking with the Lord.
When we read those verses, it’s easy to admire them from a distance. We want those things in our lives. We want to be known for peace, patience, kindness, and self-control.
But fruit doesn’t appear overnight.
And honestly, I think sometimes we expect spiritual growth to happen far faster than it actually does.
We pray one prayer and expect instant patience. We ask God to help us, then wonder why we still struggle in hard moments.
We want growth without process.
But real growth rarely works that way.
And honestly, we understand that concept naturally in almost every other area of life.
You do not hand a baby a steak and expect them to know how to handle it. They begin with milk first, and as they grow and mature, they slowly become able to handle stronger things.
Spiritually, I think we sometimes forget that same principle applies to us.
Hebrews 5:13-14 says,
“For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age…”
Growth happens progressively.
Maturity develops over time.
And yet so many times we become frustrated with ourselves because we are not spiritually mature overnight. We expect ourselves to instantly respond with patience. We expect immediate peace. We expect instant growth after one prayer at the altar. But spiritual fruit is developed little by little as we continue walking with Him.
Fruit grows slowly.
Long before fruit is ever visible on a tree, something is happening beneath the surface. Roots are growing deeper. Strength is developing where no one else can see it yet.
And spiritually, I think God often works the same way. Some of the deepest growth in our lives happens quietly. Through ordinary days, stretching seasons, and moments that require us to choose Him again and again.
Romans 5:3-4 reminds us,
“…tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.”
That means even the hard seasons are not wasted.
Sometimes the very situations we wish would disappear are the exact places where God is developing fruit in us.
What Pressure Reveals
One thing I’ve learned is this: whatever is rooted deeply inside of us eventually comes out. Not just in the big spiritual moments, but in everyday life.
In the way we respond when we’re frustrated, the way we speak when we’re tired, and the way we handle pressure when things don’t go according to plan.
Eventually, the fruit of the Spirit becomes visible.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:20,
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
That verse is not meant to condemn us. It’s meant to make us pause and reflect. Because whatever we are feeding spiritually will eventually grow.
If we constantly feed fear, bitterness, pride, anger, or anxiety, those things eventually begin surfacing in our words, reactions, and attitudes. But when we stay rooted in Him, the fruit of the Spirit slowly begins growing in our lives over time.
And maybe slowly is not a bad thing. Maybe slow growth creates deeper roots. Maybe the process is what keeps us dependent on Him instead of ourselves.
The Growth You Cannot Yet See
I think this is the part we struggle with the most.
We want visible progress. We want to know something is happening, and we want proof that God is working.
But some of His deepest work happens beneath the surface where no one else can see it yet.
Philippians 1:6 says,
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
God is still working.
He is still shaping, still pruning, and still growing fruit in places that do not look finished yet.
And maybe some of you need this reminder today: Just because growth feels slow doesn’t mean nothing is happening.
Some seasons are root-growing seasons.
And roots matter.
A mature tree can withstand the winds pushing against it because its roots have grown deep.
And spiritually, deep roots are what keep us standing when life becomes difficult.
Staying Rooted While the Fruit of the Spirit Grows
So if you’ve been discouraged by where you are spiritually lately, don’t uproot yourself just because growth feels slow.
Stay planted, stay surrendered, and stay rooted.
Keep praying, keep showing up, and keep allowing the Lord to work in the areas that still need growth. Because what is growing in you today will eventually produce fruit tomorrow.
And in time, what God is doing inside of you will become visible for others to see.
If this encouraged you, I’d love for you to share it with someone else who may need the reminder today.
And if you’re looking for more encouragement like this, be sure to visit the Encouragement section here on Makin’ Macon.
You can also join the Stay Rooted email where I share gentle weekly encouragement, real life reflections, and reminders to stay grounded in Him right in the middle of everyday chaos.
And remember, I’m always praying for you, even if I don’t know who you are.
