HOW TO SUSTAIN A LIFE OF FRUITFULNESS

 By Rev. Michael Benson  Ajayi

 Mark 4:16, "And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;"

             Development lacks any substance until it is sustainable. The success of an individual is not determined by how much he or she possesses at any given instance but on how sustainable his or her businesses are. Success can only be said to be when there are successors. Abraham was singled out by God because he understood the importance of raising successors, the scriptures say in Gen 18:19NLT “I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised." God’s promises extends from generation to generation, He wants us to leave a legacy that will be enjoyed by generations yet unborn. Our grandchildren should not go through some of the pains we went through in life; in the light of this, the scriptures says in Prov 13:22 “Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner's wealth passes to the godly.”

          Our commitment to scriptures is critical in the building of an enduring future for our grandchildren; great families in politics and business are the products of great grandparents who invested in the future. In Mark 4:13-20 the scriptures reveals the various degrees of commitment to God’s word and their corresponding outcomes.   

           Jesus derides the fellow who receives the Word, even with great joy but soon fell apart under the pressures of life because they had not been deeply rooted in the word of God. Such persons are very sentimental and easily manipulated by the enemy. A plant must develop a strong root system to sustain its growth; likewise we must become deeply rooted and grounded in the Word of God. When we overemphasize visible growth as a yardstick of God’s blessings on an individual we soon become impatient and loose grounds on the truth of God’s Word and become vulnerable to Satan’s antics. When we begin to judge our spirituality and progress based on physical qualities such as money, properties, fame etc we become unsettled and unfruitful. A person may not manifest any of those, that don’t mean they aren’t making progress. Great trees like the great Chinese bamboo tree spend over a year growing roots deep into the soil; it’s a rare occurrence to hear of bamboo trees being uprooted by hurricanes.

          Seeds planted in shallow soils tend to germinate and grow faster than those planted in deep soil. Great trees put all of their energy towards developing sustainable roots first while weak trees put their effort into the growth of the plant above the ground; therefore, it is unwise to compare yourself with someone experiencing very rapid growth, such persons could appear to be ahead of you in so many aspects of life but they never last. They are usually without successors. It is unwise to get offended over slow but steady growth on the account of someone else’s hasty success story, the scriptures say in 2 Cor 10:12 “Oh, don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!” Do not allow yourself get distracted by those who misunderstand God’s process of development. Slow steady growth isn’t a curse. Time will tell eventually. The more we meditate on God’s word the more we are developing deep roots for a healthy growth (Joshua 1:8) . We are to maintain an attitude of gratitude during the period when there is no physical growth because of the assurance of a glorious future ahead. 2 Cor 4:16-18 “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” You have a great future.

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