But if after these things you will not obey Me, I will proceed to discipline you seven times for your sins. I will break down your strong pride. I will make your sky like iron and your land like bronze, and your strength will be used up for nothing. Your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit. - Leviticus 26:20
Jesus once surprised His closest followers when He cursed a fig tree because it bore no fruit. Afterward, He made it clear that He did it to illustrate the fruitlessness and impending punishment of an apostate Israel. The lesson for them (and for us) is that God expects us to bear "fruit."
"Fruitlessness" is a miserable state for Christ-followers. When we seem to be "giving it everything we've got" and the results aren't evident (or so it seems), we can often be led to despair. What can we do? It seems that when we find ourselves in this condition, one of two responses are warranted.
The first is to look for signs of disobedience and repent (if necessary). Sin will make us fruitless. The second is to persevere in obedience even when the fruit doesn't seem to be present. It is possible that circumstances are clouding our perception and the fruit is just not readily apparent. Time will tell! Whatever the cause, one thing is certain. Fruitlessness is indeed a curse and not the intended outcome of the one who remains in Christ Jesus, for He said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me (John 15:5)."
It is not your business to succeed, but to do right: when you have done so, the rest lies with God. - C.S. Lewis
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