When do we experience the most growth? What are the ideal conditions for personal growth? It might surprise us that the best soil for growth is often that of struggle and hardship. In Genesis, God frequently commands His creation to “Be fruitful and multiply.” God promised to make Abraham “exceedingly fruitful.” However, one of the first mentions of fruitfulness comes in Genesis 41:52 when Joseph (the man sold into slavery by his brothers) says, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” It was in Egypt—not the promised homeland of Canaan—that Jacob’s descendants truly began to be fruitful and multiply. What a picture of how life often works!
As Christians, we also should be fruitful and multiply. We should bear spiritual fruit and share the gospel so the kingdom multiplies. But we often seek to do this in comfort and ease. Don’t be afraid of hardship and struggle—some of the greatest growth we can achieve will likely come via God’s grace through trials and challenges.