Fruit of the Spirit

Food for Life:
Galatians 5:16-25

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (vs 22,23).

This Scripture verse highlighting the Fruit of the Spirit is a familiar one...as it describes how we might distinguish whether or not the Holy Spirit is evident in our lives! Notice a couple of important realities. This is one fruit. It isn't like we would exhibit one or the other - as if the Holy Spirit would reveal Himself through you in kindness and in me joy. The Holy Spirit is all of these virtues. Now if you are like me, you may see (usually others see) one or more that seem to be less obvious through you. Patience comes immediately to my mind.

I do not think that I exhibit near as much patience as is becoming. Even if I may appear on the outside to be patient - some of those times I am feeling very impatient! I ask the Holy Spirit to bring about His patience, that it would well up within me; that my thoughts would be those that would bring about patience instead of an impatient critical spirit. This leads to another important reality. I can't produce the Fruit of the Spirit any more than I can produce the fruit of an apple tree... no matter how hard I try, I can not produce an apple!

So, how about you? Are there aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit that you see through your life and others that you would like to see more of? I imagine yes. If so, how will this happen?

Paul tells us..."live by the Spirit." First, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit! This filling only comes through salvation, and then prayerfully, continually committing ourselves - praying, "Lord, fill me with Your Spirit, now!" In the moment (when it is clear that I need patience!). "Lord, continually abide in and through me. Please Lord, convict me of what is not like You, please forgive me, work through me Your love!" "Oh, God, produce within me Your Joy, in the midst of this storm!"

Reading God's Word and meditating on God in the Word! "Lord, how do I not walk in this "envy" (vs.21)? "Lord, forgive me for this "fit of rage" or "for this drunkenness" (vs.21). Help me Lord to desire to be "filled with Your Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) instead of wine (beer, whiskey...whatever one's drug of choice might be)! We can ask the Lord to show us what steps to take and then ask for God's power to do so, with any temptation that causes us to walk in sin instead of the Spirit. The Lord is pleased to help us!

"Lord, thank You that You are the One who works in and through us to be able to walk in the Holy Spirit and not in ourselves, in our flesh, in sin. Thank You that You are ever-ready to be our aide and helper. Thanks for loving us. We love You."