A couple of days ago, I received a message on Facebook.
It was from a lady that we reached with the Gospel when I was doing inner city work in Chicago as a college student (she was a little girl at the time).
We are talking about over 30 years ago. I had lost track of her when we graduated and moved to Southern California to help plant a church.
And the cool thing. She now only lives a few miles from us. In fact, she will be attending church with us in the next few weeks.
Her message encouraged my heart. After spending 3 years serving in that area, I often wondered if any spiritual fruit would come from it.
Ever been there? Wondering if you are really making any difference with your ministry? Asking yourself if all the time, effort and tears is worth it? Hoping and praying that all the spiritual labor you invested would produce some long-lasting fruit? The "fruit that remains" that is talked about in Scripture.
Here's what you need to remember. As you serve Jesus, you will see some fruit immediately. Especially if you serve in children's ministry. A child's heart is normally tender and very receptive to the Gospel. That is why we often talk about reaching children before they turn 16. A child's heart is the greatest mission field in the world.
But much of the fruit you will not fully see until years and even decades later. This was also the case with another young lady that we reached in Chicago. She contacted us a couple of years ago. On fire for Jesus and now serving in children's ministry as well. You can see the video of her story here.
Now and later. You will see some fruit now. You will see much more fruit in the future. Check out a great reminder of this - a video entitled "Now and Later."
Her note encouraged me to keep on sowing. To not give up. To realize that fruit will come from it in the future. To look past now and see what can be in the lives of the people you minister to.
Don't grow weary in well doing as the Bible tells us. Your labor is not in vain. And you probably won't know this fully until decades later when a Facebook or other social media message pops up on your notifications.
