Am I a “Good Fig”? A Self-Examination for Christian Hearts
Hey friends!
Have you ever sat in the midweek meeting, heard the account of the two baskets of figs in Jeremiah 24, and felt your mind quietly drift? I used to rush right past those verses. Life was already full—ministry, family, the endless list of things that needed doing—and the idea of stopping to examine my own “fruitfulness” felt like one more thing I might fail at. So I smiled, took notes, and moved on.
This week’s Watchtower study is helping us think about remaining loyal when tests of faith come. It reminds us of the disciples who walked away from Jesus and the apostles who stayed, saying, “Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life.” (John 6:68, NWT) Busy seasons can feel like a quiet test of their own. We may wonder if our spiritual fruit is still growing or if we are somehow falling short.
But Jehovah’s illustration of the figs is tender, not harsh. After the first wave of exiles left for Babylon, He showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs: one filled with very good figs, the other with figs so bad they could not be eaten. The good figs represented those He would regard with favor, protect, and eventually restore. He promised, “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Jehovah. They will become my people, and I will become their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7, NWT)
That promise still stands for us. This post is simply an invitation to notice—without guilt, without comparison—where your heart is this season. No pressure to become a different person overnight. Just a gentle look at the fruit already growing and the small ways Jehovah may be inviting you to keep growing with Him.
Let’s walk through it together.
1. Notice the season you’re actually in
Busy seasons are real. Convention prep, pioneering goals, school schedules, caring for aging parents, or simply the quiet fatigue that settles in after months of steady effort—all of these shape how much capacity we feel we have. The good figs in Jeremiah’s vision were not sitting in ideal conditions. They had been uprooted and carried away. Yet Jehovah still called them good and set His eyes on them for good. (Jeremiah 24:5, 6)
The current study article helps us see that tests of faith come in many forms—some dramatic, some quiet and ongoing. Before you measure your fruitfulness, pause and name the season. Are you in a stretch of heavy responsibility? A time of quiet recovery? A period of fresh energy? Simply acknowledging reality is already an act of honesty with Jehovah. He is not asking you to produce the same harvest in every season.
2. Look for the fruit that is already growing
It is easy to focus on what feels missing—less consistent personal study, fewer return visits, quieter family worship. But what about the quieter fruit? The patient conversation with a discouraged friend. The choice to keep attending meetings even when energy is low. The way you still speak kindly when you are tired. These are real expressions of the spirit’s fruit. (Galatians 5:22, 23)
When tests come, the foundation of our faith matters. The Watchtower study encourages us to keep strengthening three foundational truths: Jehovah is the Creator, He inspired the Bible, and He is backing His people today. Those truths help us stay loyal even when our feelings fluctuate.
When the enemy of our spirituality tries to whisper that “nothing is happening,” it helps to remember what Jehovah himself says about us. The 12 Things the Bible Says About You affirmation cards are a simple, beautiful tool for this. Keeping a few of them where you will see them—on the bathroom mirror, tucked in your bag, or on the fridge—gently redirects your thoughts from self-criticism to the truths Jehovah has already spoken over His people. You are chosen. You are loved. You are being refined, not discarded.
3. Ask what one small invitation Jehovah might be extending
The good figs were not asked to stay in Jerusalem and force a different outcome. They were asked to trust Jehovah’s purpose in the place He had allowed them to be. In the same way, spiritual growth this season may not look like adding three new habits. It may look like one small, sustainable adjustment: five extra minutes of reading before bed, a short prayer while waiting in the car, or choosing to prepare just one return visit with real heart instead of rushing through several.
Jehovah delights in the heart that is willing, even when the capacity feels limited. He is the one who gives the heart to know Him. Our part is simply to keep turning toward Him—just as the apostles chose to stay with Jesus even when they did not fully understand everything at that moment.
4. Rest in who you already are to Him
Even on the days when the fruit feels thin, you remain precious to Jehovah. The same God who regarded the exiles as good figs looks at His people today with the same favor. You are not on trial. You are being cultivated.
This is another moment when the 12 Things the Bible Says About You affirmation cards can become a quiet lifeline. Reading even one card slowly can settle a restless heart and remind you that growth is happening under His care, not under your performance.
Free “Good-Fig Self-Check” Printable Would you like a simple, pressure-free way to walk through these four gentle questions on paper? I’ve created a one-page “Good-Fig Self-Check” printable designed exactly for busy hearts. No long journaling required—just space to notice, name, and offer one small next step to Jehovah.
Friend, you do not have to become a “better fig” overnight. You only need to keep walking with the One who already calls you good and is giving you a heart to know Him. He sees the fruit that is forming, even when it is still small. He is patient with the process, and He is delighted with you.
And if you’d like even more of this kind of gentle, practical help landing in your inbox every single week, come join our free printable community!
If you would love a steady, daily dose of encouragement, the 180 Bible Affirmation booklet is a beautiful companion for this season. It contains short daily Bible affirmations—perfect for starting your morning or closing your evening with something hopeful. Many sisters keep it on their nightstand or slip a page into their bag. It also makes a thoughtful gift for someone you want to remind that Jehovah loves them dearly. These are the same warm, Scripture-rooted affirmations many of you loved from the back-to-school series, now gathered into a lovely adult booklet format.
Help your child start the school day with courage, peace, and a strong spiritual foundation.
This digital download includes 180 printable Bible affirmation cards designed especially for kids. Each card features a short, first-person affirmation based on a scripture from the New World Translation, perfect for slipping into a lunchbox, bookbag, or notebook.
What’s Included
180 unique affirmation cards organized into 14 encouraging themes
Instruction pages for easy printing and cutting
Clean, warm design in cream, green, and orange
Ready-to-print PDF (US Letter size)
Cards sized for easy cutting (4 cards per page)
14 Themes Included
Courage
Gratitude
Witnessing & Sharing Faith
Strength
Peace & No Anxiety
Kindness & Love
Honesty & Truth
Wisdom & Good Decisions
Identity & Worth
Obedience & Respect
Diligence & Doing My Best
Friendship & Good Associations
Self-Control & Patience
Joy
Perfect For
Back-to-school preparation
Daily lunchbox notes
Family worship encouragement
Helping children remember Jehovah during the school day
Building confidence and spiritual strength
How to Use
Download the PDF instantly after purchase
Print on cardstock or heavy paper for best results
Cut along the guide lines
Optional: laminate or hole-punch for a reusable set
Place one card in your child’s lunchbox or bookbag each school day
This is a digital product — no physical item will be shipped. You will receive a high-quality printable PDF ready for immediate use.
Created with care for families who want simple, practical ways to keep Jehovah’s Word close during the school year.
What is one small adjustment your heart feels ready to make this week? I’d love to hear it in the comments—your story might be exactly the encouragement another sister needs.
When you sign up for the Dancing Gazelle newsletter, you immediately unlock hundreds of free spiritual printables—affirmation cards, self-check pages, family worship helps, lunchbox notes, prayer prompts, and so much more—plus a brand-new printable delivered to you every week. It’s like having a steady stream of quiet encouragement designed especially for busy Christian hearts.
No pressure, no overwhelm—just beautiful, ready-to-use tools that help you keep growing with Jehovah in the middle of real life.
I’d be so happy to welcome you. Let’s keep filling our spiritual toolboxes with hope, one joyful printable at a time.
