Good Fruits

Good Fruits
Berthe Morisot

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine,
so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit,
for apart from Me you can do nothing.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”
John 15:4-5, 7-8
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Jesus taught, “Ye shall know them by their fruits… A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Matthew 7:16, 18). The gospel is not merely about toiling in the vineyard—it’s about tasting the harvest. Yet, how often do we labor in faith without taking the time to enjoy its sweetness?

Too many of us serve, obey, and press forward, forgetting that God desires not only our diligence, but our joy. The fruits of the gospel—peace, love, forgiveness, purpose, and eternal hope—are meant to be picked, tasted, and cherished. The Apostle Paul described the fruits of the Spirit as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5:22). Discipleship is not meant to be a burden, but a blessing.

Russell M. Nelson has taught, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” If we fixate only on duty, we risk missing the very purpose of discipleship: to draw nearer to Christ and partake of His goodness. The Savior declared, “I am the vine, ye are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit.” Our connection to Him is not just productive—it is life-giving. A branch doesn’t have to strain to produce fruit when it is fully connected the vine. Likewise, when we strive to walk with Christ each day, the fruits will naturally follow.

C.S. Lewis once reflected, “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” The fruits of the gospel are not external rewards—they are the internal result of being rooted in Christ. So let us not be so busy planting, pruning, and enduring that we forget to taste the fruit. The gospel is not just good work—it is good news. And we are meant to rejoice in it. By feasting upon the good fruit of the gospel.

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