“God does not want us to be spiritual mushrooms,” wrote J. O. Fraser in 1918 from the Yunnan province of China.[1] Fraser spoke from experience—in his own spiritual walk and in his ministry among the Lisu people. But what did he mean? What are the characteristics of healthy growth?
The Pace of Healthy Growth: Slow and Steady (James 5:7-8)
“Preparation, delay, and growth are characteristics of God’s working both in history and in nature,” wrote Frasier to his praying friends. “Scripture and the facts of nature meet, when James, exhorting us to patience, says: ‘The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it.’ The same principle applies to our own spiritual lives, and to our labour in the Lord. A mature Christian is not the product of a day or a month or a year either. . . . We must strike our roots down deep in the soil of the Word and be strengthened by long, long experience. It is a slow process, and it is right that it should be so: God does not want us to be spiritual mushrooms.”
Fraser goes on in the same letter, speaking of the growth of God’s work. “We cannot fret souls into the Kingdom of Heaven; neither, when they are once converted, can we worry them into maturity; we cannot by taking thought, add a cubit to our own spiritual stature or to anyone else’s either. The plants of our Heavenly Father’s planting will grow better under His open sky than under the hothouses of our feverish effort; it is for us to water, and to water diligently, but we cannot give the increase however we try.” Despite our impatience, speed is not an asset to growth.
The Mindset for Healthy Growth: Calm and Patient (Matt 11:28-30)[2]
Fraser pointed to the example of Christ. “In the biography of our Lord nothing is more noticeable than the quiet, even poise of His life. Never ‘flustered’ whatever happened, never taken off His guard, however assailed by men or demons; in the midst of fickle people, hostile rulers, faithless disciples—always calm, always collected. Christ, the hard Worker indeed—but doing no more, and no less, than God appointed Him; and with no restlessness, no hurry, no worry. Was ever such a peaceful life lived—under conditions so perturbing?”
The Atmosphere of Healthy Growth: Trust in God’s Timing (Lam. 3:26)[3]
Speaking of our service to Christ, Fraser continued: “The rush and bustle of carnal activity breathes a spirit of restlessness: the Holy Spirit breathes a deep calm. This is the atmosphere in which we may expect a lasting work of God to grow. Let us take care first of all that it is a work of God—begun and continued in God—and then let us cast our anxieties, our fears, and our impatience to the winds. Let us shake off ‘dull sloth’ on the one hand and feverishness on the other. A gourd may spring up in a night, but not an oak.”[4]
Genuine, spiritual growth takes time in a healthy environment. This truth applies to our personal lives, our parenting, and our churches. Are we cultivating spiritual mushrooms and gourds when we should be growing spiritual oak trees? In what ways can we better tend our own walk with God so that He can use us in the lives of others? How can we better balance godly urgency with Spirit-filled patience as God works?
[1] Why listen to J. O. Fraser on the topic of growth? After years of faithful service and prayer with few results, Fraser saw hundreds of Lisu people come to Christ. His influence is still felt to this day. Fraser’s letter quoted in this post is recorded in Mrs. Howard Taylor’s excellent biography, Behind the Ranges: Fraser of Lisuland, 162-163.
[2] “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
[3] “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:26)
[4] Read more about Fraser’s prayer life in my book, Daring Devotion: A 31-Day Journey with those who Lived God’s Promises. (available in October 2020)
