[Steve Myers] Do you like cranberries? Do you know anything about cranberries? I like the Craisins. They come from cranberries. But they're grown in a bog. And this is a picture of a bog behind me, a cranberry bog. In order to harvest those cranberries, they have to go through a certain process that most people aren't very familiar with. It's usually kind of damp land that they grow these cranberries in, but when it's time to harvest, they actually flood the bogs with water completely, covering the plants. And then you know what happens? The cranberries themselves break off and they rise to the top of the water, where then either people can harvest them, or they have, sometimes, special machines that go across the water to collect those cranberries.

And what it reminded me of is the fact that sometimes we have floods in our life. Have you ever considered it in this way? We face tribulations. We face trials. Real Christians have real problems, and the waters sometimes seem to overflow us. But what's the result of the floods, or the trials, or the difficulties in our lives? We should be like those cranberries, that the fruit should rise to the top even during those most difficult times.

The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians about this. In 2 Corinthians 1:5 . "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." Or in other words, when the floods of life's trials and difficulties come upon us, and they will, allow the fruit to be exposed. Recognize the fact God's going to be with us. And when we rely on Him and we trust in Him, the Fruit of God's Spirit can be revealed even in those most difficult of times.

So maybe think like a cranberry. When the trials come, allow the fruit to come to the top.

That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.