Spiritual Growth Takes Time
It takes years for us to grow to adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. The development of Christlike character cannot be rushed. When you try to ripen fruit quickly, it loses its flavor. While we worry about how fast we grow, God is concerned about how strong we grow. God views our lives from and for eternity, so he is never in a hurry. The moment you open yourself to Christ, Jesus begins to work in your life. You may think you have surrendered all your life to him, but the truth is, there is a lot to your life that you aren't even conscious of. You can only give God as much of you as you understand at that moment. That's okay. Once Jesus begins to work, he takes over more and more of your life until all of your is completely his. There will be struggles and battles, but the outcome will never be in doubt. God has promised that "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." (Philippians 1:6, NIV)
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