Strawberries and Lessons With My Father

Strawberry Plant

By Heather / Blessings in the Desert

Today, I was walking with the Spirit in my backyard garden. He said, “It’s time to harvest your strawberries.”

I replied, “I love that! Yes, let’s harvest!”

I eagerly grabbed my pruning shears and walked toward the strawberries cheerfully hanging from their baskets. Each ruby red fruit called out from the cozy nursery bed of soft yellow-green leaves, as if to say, “Pick me! Pick me!”

As I started to determine what and where to clip, I heard the Lord say, “Clip that one.”

I hesitated. The one He directed me to didn’t look ready to be picked. But instead of questioning Him, as I have often done, I simply listened and obeyed.

Then I heard, “Now, clip that one.”

Again, I obeyed. Little by little, He directed me to clip, prune, and harvest specific berries in the patch.

I … for once … resolved to just peacefully and lovingly follow the directions of my Father Jesus, like a child grabbing Daddy’s hand, looking up in anticipation of where He might be taking me.

There was a time, more recent than you might think, when I would question Him—when He would direct me to do or say something, and I’d pause, asking, “Why?” Just like a 6 year old who asks that with EVERYTHING.

Not anymore. Not today.

“Today, when I woke up, the Spirit said to walk deeper into my faith. Go where my feet could not touch the ground.”

Back to my strawberry lesson now. As He and His child harvested strawberries lovingly together, He would direct me here and there. I could feel His gentle, Fatherly love and patience. I could feel His warm smile as He continued to direct me. The moment between us was true communion. And it was beautiful.

White bowl of strawberries

When we were finished, my little bowl was filled.

But not with all bright, vibrant, and plump strawberries.

No—there were tiny, dead berries that barely had a chance to grow because of the scorching sun.

There were oddly shaped, deformed berries.

There were berries that even looked almost rotten.

Although the questions still tumbled in my head, I eagerly waited and faithfully obeyed His direction, because I knew the lessons were coming.

I carried my odd little treasures back to the house. And as He directed, I grabbed a paper towel and set the bowl onto the counter.

I heard, “Start separating them.”

He told me to make three piles:

• One for the berries that are dead and will be replanted

• One for the berries that need to be dried in the sun

• One for the berries I will get to enjoy and eat

  
  
  
  

I obeyed, still curious.

As I began separating the dried berries and determining which of the rest were edible or not, I picked a deeply red, fully plump, deformed berry that squished between my fingers, even though I was being so careful.

I heard, “Take a bite.” An intruding thought came into my mind as I raised the fruit to my mouth in obedience, "This might be rotten. You might not like the taste."

The berry was still warm from the afternoon Arizona June sun, and as my teeth sank into the soft flesh of the fruit, the most wonderful sweetness flooded my mouth. The combination of warmth, tangy sweetness, the slight hint of honey on my taste buds, along with an incredible strawberry aroma, made for the most amazing-tasting strawberry I have ever experienced!

I was so overwhelmed by the unexpected experience that, upon finishing, I exhaled, “Thank You, Father!”

I went back to my divinely appointed task of separating the berries. Once again, I heard, “Take a bite of this one now.”

This time, I was holding a small, light red, pretty berry that was perfectly shaped, but had soft, yellow-green flesh around the top.

My thought immediately was that this berry was not quite ripe yet. Not ready to eat.

I had no desire to question His direction, knowing He has a good purpose for everything.

I took a bite. And of course, the berry was somewhat sweet, but definitely more bitter or tart than the first berry I had the pleasure of experiencing.

Then, what I had been waiting for this whole time with Him began.

The Lesson. ❤️

Strawberries and a pen with a bible

He began to speak so gently and Fatherly. I heard:

“Daughter, the dead berries you picked—you will plant, and from those seeds new plants will be grown.

The rotten fruit that I told you to still pick, I want you to place it on your table outside in the sun.

The sweet, ripe berries will be eaten and enjoyed.

I want you to think of these berries as hearts in people. The seeds on these berries are the seeds of My Kingdom. My Good News. Truth.

The dried berries are those who have—and are—dying to themselves daily.

The rotten, or the berries that are not to eat but are not ready to plant—those are hearts that still need to die to self.

The heat from the Son will help them do that. Then they too will be ready to plant and water.

The fruit you set aside that was sweet and wonderful—that is the fruit that the Spirit has produced. It goes into the Body and nourishes the Body, making it stronger, healthier, and able to grow the Kingdom.

And the berry you ate that was tart—is a heart that is for Me and wants to serve, but is not quite fully ripe. Their message will often come across as too tart for someone to receive and can be rejected. They just need more time in the Son. I will one day produce sweet and nourishing juice from them, in My perfect timing.

You see, daughter… NOTHING is a waste. And there is always Hope for each condition the heart is in.

Even the dead leaves you pruned from the plant will be used to help it produce more fruit and plant more Seeds.”

And I was still.

Overcome with peace.

With understanding.

With the holiness of His presence.

An ordinary moment, not so ordinary. So supernatural and wonderful.

This is the kind of faith walk He invites us into daily: not theoretical or theological, but relational.

Simple obedience. Intimate trust. Childlike wonder. Humble is ready to receive heart.

Scriptures to Reflect On (TPT):

🌱 “So don’t allow your hearts to grow dull or lose your enthusiasm. But follow the example of those who fully received what God has promised because of their strong faith and patient endurance.”

—Hebrews 6:12 TPT

🍓 “But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action…”

—Galatians 5:22 TPT

☀️ “For a seed to grow, it must first fall into the ground and die. But once it dies, it will produce a great harvest.”

—John 12:24 (contextual paraphrase)

🕊 “Let your words be seasoned with grace, and tempered with truth, so that you may be a light even to those not yet ready to receive.”

—See Colossians 4:6 TPT (“Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity.”)

🔥 “We look not at what is seen but at what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

—2 Corinthians 4:18 TPT

Friend, there is no part of your life or another's—the pain, the waiting, the weakness, the pruning—that is wasted in the hands of Jesus.

Not one seed.

Not one scar.

Not one oddly shaped berry.

Even the tart hearts will one day become sweet. All in His perfect timing. And nothing—absolutely nothing—is ever wasted.