My life has fruit-bearing purpose, even in suffering

As my brain surgery continues to heal, I’ve had moments when I’ve asked God, “Why am I still here? How can I love and serve You if my body can’t ‘do’ what it used to? How can I be fruit-bearing if I’m differently-abled?” I’ve felt worth…”less,” wondering about my purpose, even with twinges of guilt. It’s all temptation of our enemy. Many have written me, feeling the same way, at their crossroads of permanent or worsening losses producing a “differently-abled” life.

I’ve always despised the label “disabled.” I even teach a course for music educators, helping them teach music to children and teens with various “exceptionalities.” Thinking about online teaching again in the fall, this word was our Lord’s sweet answer as I grieved the loss of my own former abilities, now “differently-abled.” 

We are God’s “exceptional” new creations in Christ, and we each have His kingdom purpose as long as He keeps us in this world. Aging alone brings “differently-abled” along with it. But we have a purpose in every change, in every “different.”

What comfort when I feel like my life has no purpose! No matter what my body is “differently abled” to do, I am still the aroma of Christ, abiding in Christ’s love with the new heart He’s given me!

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26 ESV).

My faith looks up to Thee, abiding in Jesus

I have a new identity, label, and name…it’s not one of “doing” particular tasks as I once could. It is one of “being” in Christ, dwelt within by His sanctifying Spirit, for He will bring about whatever “good works” He’s already prepared for me to walk in.

My faith looks up to thee,

thou Lamb of Calvary,

Savior divine;

now hear me while I pray,

take all my guilt away,

O let me from this day

be wholly thine.

(“My Faith Looks Up to Thee,” Palmer, R., 1830)

Fruit-bearing as we abide in the love of Christ

Lord, You promise:

So, when my suffering squeezes and sin threatens, I cling to Your promises, enabled by Your Holy Spirit within me, loving me, changing me.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love (John 15:9 ESV).

May thy rich grace impart

strength to my fainting heart,

my zeal inspire;

as thou hast died for me,

O may my love to thee

pure, warm, and changeless be,

a living fire.

You’re bringing about Your fruit-bearing…of love, like my beloved Savior!

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind….You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Mt. 22:37, 39 ESV).

Fruit of the Holy Spirit, fruit-growing as we suffer

Sealed with Your Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14), You promise to grow Galatians 5 fruit, causing me to become fruit-bearing amid my suffering or sinful failures. 

You promise to grow love, joy, and peace within me. You promise to cultivate patience, kindness, and goodness in me as I interact with others. You promise to develop faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as I walk through earthly trials, producing a “harvest of righteousness” (Jas. 3:18 ESV).

So, please fill me with Your fruit as I abide in You:

The fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1:11 ESV).

Our fruit-bearing purpose, growing in Christ-likeness, as we suffer

Reading Colossians 3, seeing that I’m Your “chosen one, holy and beloved” (Col. 3:12), help me to “become” who I already am, Christ-like in my character…until the day I see Him! 

When ends life’s transient dream,

when death’s cold, sullen stream

shall o’er me roll,

blest Savior, then, in love,

fear and distrust remove;

O bear me safe above,

a ransomed soul.

In the treasured and beloved name of Jesus, amen.

Treasuring Christ, fruit-bearing as we suffer

Suffering is never in our own life-plan, is it? But Jesus softly and tenderly reminded me:

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Mt. 6:21 ESV).

So, this abiding in Christ? It’s treasuring, knowing, loving, adoring, beholding, and worshiping Him, as I suffer. This is my purpose!

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:10-11 ESV).

While life’s dark maze I tread,

and griefs around me spread,

be thou my guide;

bid darkness turn to day,

wipe sorrow’s tears away,

nor let me ever stray

from thee aside.

Material adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2023

Playlist gift for treasuring Christ as we suffer

Sister in Christ, let’s “look up” to our resurrected Lord Jesus. Let’s worship and adore Him, asking Him for fruit growth as we simply abide in His love. Let’s treasure Him by singing to Him as He tells us to! This week’s playlist gift is crafted for us to sing-pray this way, especially when we feel worthless in our ability to “do.” If this might bless you as you suffer, sign up here and it will come to your email.

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