But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit. -Luke 8:15 CSB

I think sometimes we get caught up in the idea that if we have Jesus on our side and we try to do everything right, we will have an easy go at life. But when things don’t exactly work out like that, we get confused or defeated. In times like these, we must remember that in order to see the fruit, to see the good come in our lives, we have to have times of holding on and enduring.

I know that waiting is not one of my strong points, and I try to rush through the times of struggle as quickly as possible. But the fact remains, it is by holding on and by enduring that the fruit begins to spring forth. A tree doesn’t get planted one day and the next have shiny red apples hanging from the branches. It has had to weather storms, and seasons, and rains, and the scorching sun before the glory that the tree possess begins to be shown.

Our lives display the seed, the truth living within us of Jesus Christ, in the times of enduring. So, if you are waiting, lonely, hurting, healing, or whatever you are facing, my encouragement is to keep holding on to the Word, the seed. And by enduring, the good and glorious fruit will be fully displayed. Just keep holding on.