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March 27, 2026<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s How Seeds Work<\/strong><\/span> Lee en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBut the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!\u201d Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)<\/em><\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Note:<\/em><\/strong> Don\u2019t skip a single day this week. From March 23-27, each devotion includes a never-before-seen excerpt from Lysa TerKeurst\u2019s first prayer book,\u00a0<\/em>Come Close to Jesus. Trust us \u2014 you\u2019ll want to read every one.<\/em><\/p>\n While walking along the prayer path on my property one day, I noticed a thick, swirly vine I\u2019d never seen before. My curiosity was piqued.<\/p>\n As I traced the twists and turns of its branches back through the fence, I was shocked to discover a huge, fully grown pumpkin right there in my yard. Yes, a pumpkin!<\/p>\n That may not be unusual for you, but I don\u2019t have a garden in my yard. I remembered that my granddaughters had been carving a pumpkin there months earlier. What I could see now was the obvious fruit of seeds that must have fallen to the ground.<\/p>\n I never saw the seeds, but I didn\u2019t need to. The fruit I could now see was undeniable evidence that the seeds had been there. That is simply how it works with seeds. Whatever kind of seed goes into the ground is the kind of fruit that eventually comes out of the ground.<\/p>\n The same is true of our hearts and lives.<\/p>\n When we spend consistent time with Jesus, the seed of His righteousness grows in our hearts and produces the fruit that today\u2019s key verses talk about \u2014 \u201clove, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control\u201d<\/em> (Galatians 5:22-23).<\/p>\n The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of God\u2019s Spirit in us. It doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re perfect, but it does mean that more and more often, in the way we treat others, we will notice these things:<\/p>\n Love replaces selfishness. Growth takes time. Be patient with yourself and consistent with God. It\u2019s about progress, not perfection. Those pumpkin seeds had been in the ground nearly 90 days before I saw their fruit.<\/p>\n I love knowing that God made us full of potential and purpose. We can trust that He made us to produce fruit. Good fruit. Fruit that brings glory to Him.<\/p>\n Apart from God, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Just like that pumpkin could not have grown without the seeds the girls dropped, the fruit of the Spirit cannot grow unless we choose to spend time talking to Jesus and filling our hearts and minds with the good seeds of God\u2019s Word.<\/p>\n Dear Lord, I don\u2019t just want to know You; I want the fruit of my life to reflect You in all I say and do. Help me to show Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to everyone I encounter. Thank You for loving me just as I am, but help me recognize the areas where I need more growth. Help me to rest in Your timing and to trust that as I spend time with You, I will be transformed. Lord, I pray more and more of You will flow through me so when others see me, they will see more of You. Give me the strength to keep pressing into Your presence even when I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m making progress. I trust You are faithful to complete the good work You started in me. In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n P.S.<\/strong> Mark your calendar for Holy Week (March 29-April 5). For eight days, we\u2019ll pause together to steady our hearts in the finished work of Jesus \u2014 one scripture and one quiet reminder at a time.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a woman who pulls into her driveway and sits in her car for a little too long. Not because she\u2019s avoiding anything \u2014 but because she needs a minute before walking inside. A minute to breathe. A minute to pray. A minute to say, \u201cGod, I\u2019m trying.\u201d She doesn\u2019t tell anyone about these pauses. But they\u2019re the places where her faith holds on. When she reaches out to Proverbs 31 Ministries asking for prayer, it\u2019s usually from this in-between moment \u2014 where life hasn\u2019t fallen apart but her heart feels stretched thin. Your generosity helps meet her right there. You help place Truth and Scripture-shaped prayer into the quiet moments where she\u2019s trying to stay steady. That\u2019s exactly why Come Close to Jesus<\/em> was written \u2014 to give her words when she\u2019s too tired to find her own. Give today and help steady the heart of a woman sitting in her car, trying her best.<\/strong><\/p>\n Find everyday encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram.<\/p>\n John 15:5, \u201cI am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n What do you need to do this week to spend time with Jesus more consistently? Maybe it\u2019s getting up early to do a Bible study or committing to a daily prayer journal.<\/p>\n We\u2019d love to hear from you in the comments.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n Proverbs 31 Ministries
LYSA TERKEURST <\/span><\/p>\n
Joy replaces angry outbursts and edgy frustration.
Peace replaces demands for control.
Patience replaces a quick temper.
Kindness replaces rudeness.
Goodness replaces selfish ambition.
Faithfulness replaces incessant desire for self-gratification.
Gentleness replaces a harsh approach.
Self-control replaces unrestrained impulses.<\/p>\nOUR FAVORITE THINGS<\/h4>\n
ENGAGE<\/h4>\n
FOR DEEPER STUDY<\/h4>\n
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org<\/strong><\/p>\n