fruit of the spirit

• Galatians 5:22 (ASV)
• Galatians 5:23 (ASV)

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I Googled various subjects relating to fruit and fruit trees. Here’s some of what I found:

Fruit isn’t something that appears, it’s the result of a process.
**So it’s unrealistic for me to just “ask God for patience” and expect him to “give me patience.” Instead, I can expect a process to happen by which he grows patience in me.

After a tree is planted, it generally takes three to five before the tree will produce fruit.
**So I can’t be too disappointed if I don’t have all (or even very many :)) of these things, because it’s not something that happens overnight.

Most trees require “cross-pollination,” meaning that two or more trees of the same variety need to be planted together, so that they can pollinate one another. Without this cross-pollination, the tree will not bear fruit.
**So there’s no possible way these qualities will grow in me outside of the presence of other followers of Christ - my growth requires the involvement of others.

Fruit is basically an egg - the product of an an ovary (a flower), that contains the seeds necessary to reproduce more trees that can produce more fruit.
**So the end game of God producing the fruit of his Spirit in me isn’t about me…it’s about ultimately producing more followers of Christ, who will produce more fruit!

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