Day one of my sabbatical is completed and book one of my sabbatical, Jerry Bridges' The Fruitful Life, is completed.  At least as of day one I had not yet fallen behind in my reading!!!

I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, for I must remind myself that this time is not about crossing book titles off my reading list.  The fact that I have a list of books and a certain amount of pages I need to read each day could easily cause me to slip into 'git'r done" mode.  Being task oriented can be a blessing at times, but it can also be a curse.  But my desire, in this sabbatical, is to experience a more fruitful life.  I don't want to allow lesser motives, like getting a certain number of pages read, to drive this time.  As Bridges points out, "Unfortunately, too often our motives are self-centered rather than God-centered.  We want to maintain our reputation before others or we want to feel good about ourselves."

But the right motivation for a more fruitful life, according to Bridges, is devotion to God.  And at the beginning of my sabbatical, I need to be reminded that this is what it is about.  It is my love for God that moves me to seek a more fruitful life.

Another great reminder Bridges presents in the pursuit of the fruitful life is that it is not ultimately dependent upon my abilities, but upon God's working.  At the heart of this book is Bridges' chapter by chapter consideration of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (NIV).  Talk about a daunting list!  Left to myself, I could never hope to make any significant headway on becoming more fruitful.  Bridges could not agree more, saying, "That is indeed true, if we were left to our own devices.  But these traits are the fruit of the Spirit, the result of His work within us.  This means not that we bear no responsibility for the development of Christian character but rather that we fulfill our responsibility under His direction and by His enablement."

In this sabbatical, I need to remember that what I am engaged in is a spiritual pursuit.  Ultimately, the books, retreats, and times for reflection are only tools.  Great tools, but tools nonetheless.  The one who truly transforms is God.  And so, I must keep my focus on walking humbly with Him so that He will do His work of transformation in my life.

But maybe the most significant result of my reading The Fruitful Life is that this book moved me, time and again, to reflect upon personal specific areas in which I need to grow.  I don't know if it is a testament to Bridges' skillfulness as a writer, or to my spiritual need, but after reading chapters on each of these fruits, I found myself "convicted" of my need to grow in each of these fruits.  Had Bridges' elected to keep the conversation more general, discoursing on these fruits as great theological ideas to be merely pondered, I could have gotten through each chapter unscathed.  But, alas, it is God's will to shape me more into the image of His Son and this book provided the perfect entrée into this important task.

So, I begin my sabbatical with an increased sense of my need for personal spiritual growth.  And in view of my need, I am thankful that God has provided this opportunity for set apart time where God's Word and God's people can speak into my life.