Seeds, Fruit, and Prayer

Yesterday, I was despairing about the lack of visible fruit in a little one's heart. Before turning off the lamp last night, my husband reads to me an excerpt from the book he was reading, Pia Desideria by Philip Jacob Spener (c. 1675),

Our fruit, like other fruit, must be borne in patience, and the fruit in others must be cultivated by us with perseverance. The work of the Lord is accomplished in wondrous ways, even as he is himself wonderful. For this very reason His work is done in complete secrecy, yet all the more surely, provided we do not relax our efforts. If God does not give you the pleasure of seeing the result of your work quickly, perhaps He intends to hide it from you, lest you become too proud of it. Seeds are there, and you may think they are unproductive, but do your part in watering them, and ears will surely sprout and in time become ripe.

In addition to continuing our work, then, let us commend the matter to our heavenly Father, pray fervently to Him, and be content with such success in our work as he may be pleased to have us see. With sincere devotion let us therefore help one another to wrestle with prayer and supplication, that here and there God may open up one door after another to his Word, that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ fruitfully, that we may do so cheerfully and speak in a befitting manner, that we may glorify His name with our teaching, our life, and our suffering.

emphasis mine