Whenever I read the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree it gets my attention (Lk.13:6-9).
You might recall, the story goes like this...
A man notices a certain fig tree in his vineyard never produces any fruit.
So he tells the guy keeping the vineyard... this tree hasn't produced fruit in three years, cut it down, it's just taking up ground.
Well, the keeper of the vineyard begs for time...
He says... give me another year to tend to it and fertilize it, and if it still doesn't bear fruit then we'll cut it down.
Like I said, this parable always gets me thinking...
It gets me wondering how fruitful I've been.
Have I been just consuming resources, without much to show for it?
Considering this usually reveals some area where I've been lax, missing opportunities, wasting time, etc... which is convicting.
But there's great comfort and encouragement in this parable too...
Why, just like the keeper of the vineyard, Jesus gives us time -- like today -- to change and repent and bear fruit.
And... the fruit is not something we produce through our own raw effort, but by way of Him at work in our lives.
So if you're feeling fruitless, the answer is always to turn to Him.
If you abide in Him and He abides in you, you'll bear plenty of fruit (Jn.15:5).
He's the one who makes us fruitful!
You just need to trust and obey Him, wherever He's got you planted!