“The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.”
When I was growing up, we lived around a lot of cotton fields. You got to recognize the cotton plant by looking at the leaves and when the plant bloomed, the cotton ball was a dead give away. When I got older, I found myself looking around at trees while I ran on town lake in Austin. I would look at them and try to name every one. I know it’s kind of nerdy but it made my run go by quickly. If you stripped away the fruit of the plant most of the plants and trees would be unrecognizable. This fruit is critical for identification.
We don’t really look at our lives as producing fruit. Realistically, most of the time we just keep moving forward putting out fires and getting things done. In a weird way, we often don’t see the fruit we produce. When I was a young man a preacher kept saying that I was the best Christian someone knows. It stuck with me and reminded me that I was producing fruit all the time and it was on display for everyone to see.
Just like identifying trees and plants while I was running, the people around you are noticing your fruit because it defines your inner makeup. Jesus even said no one plants a fig seed and expects an apple tree. Yes, whatever is growing and being watered in your life is producing fruit.
Truthfully, I can say that if you have given your life to the Lord Jesus and follow Him your life will be peaceful, meaning no matter what you go through, the peace of God will guard your heart and mind. (Philippians 4:7) The effect of this is quietness and confidence in your life.
If you see someone loud and worrying all the time you don’t see that person as peaceful. Take a litmus test in your life. Look at the fruit you are producing. Does it have an effect of peace and confidence or do you see unrest and worry. The Lord told the Israelites in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” The land in this verse is your life.
Do you want to walk in peace and have your life healed? Then start seeking the Lord by reading God’s Word everyday. Let those living words replace the worry and fear which were the fruits of your old life and let the Lord start producing some peace, quietness and confidence in your life.
Prayer: Father we humble ourselves before you. We pray that our lives will be lived for you Lord. Let quietness, confidence, and peace be the hallmark of our lives in Jesus name, amen.
Let It Go 
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