Well, we have gone through all 9 Fruit of the Spirit now. As a recap, we have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. This has been a really good series for me and I hope that those of you who have read any of these have either learned something new or at least been reminded of truth.
What a rough list though. Honestly. Think about what it looks like to live this out. Parents! Think about spending a full day with these 9 things in the front of your mind (or not, see below) in the way you respond to your children. Better yet, in the way you respond to other people while your children are watching you!
These really won't always be at the front of our minds. Why do I know that, because they will only be at the front of our minds if we are the ones doing it. No, that is NOT what Galatians is talking about. Galatians is talking about life-change that comes to us as a result of the Holy Spirit working in our lives every day. Which means that these will become habits and routine. They are incredibly hard now because they are the opposite of how we would behave naturally if no one and nothing got in our way. Because it is not how we naturally respond to things, it requires mental effort and to do them. Yet, over time, as the Spirit works in us, we will find times (not necessarily always, but at least times) when they just happen. These moments we can say, "To God be the glory!"
How about which "Fruit" is your fruit? That was my first question. What we've seen though is that they are all tied together. It's like a circle that has been cut into 9 pieces. It is incomplete without every single piece being there. Unfortunately, that means that no matter how good we are in the areas of patience and self-control, if we are not loving and faithful people, then the patience and self-control are our own doing and not the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Does that make them bad? NO! That's not what I'm saying. However, as we have areas that we struggle in (especially if we struggle daily, or at least consistently) we need to take that to God in prayer.
"God, I am not consistent in the area of self-control. So often I fail at it miserable. God, I want the Holy Spirit to work in my life. I do not want to quench him (1 Thess 5;19) or grieve him (Eph 4:30). Rather, I want to, in giving you control of my life, allow the Holy Spirit to guide me and shape me in to the person you want me to be."
...and, according to Galatians 5:22, if I am doing that, then Self-control will be a part of my character. Will I be perfect, no. However, the overall character that people see in me and that I see in myself will be one of self-control. And love. And joy. And peace. And patience. And kindness. And goodness. And faithfulness. And meekness.
To God be the glory...because I would not demonstrate those things consistently without the Holy Spirit working in my life to make me something other than what I would be without God's work in me!
What a rough list though. Honestly. Think about what it looks like to live this out. Parents! Think about spending a full day with these 9 things in the front of your mind (or not, see below) in the way you respond to your children. Better yet, in the way you respond to other people while your children are watching you!
These really won't always be at the front of our minds. Why do I know that, because they will only be at the front of our minds if we are the ones doing it. No, that is NOT what Galatians is talking about. Galatians is talking about life-change that comes to us as a result of the Holy Spirit working in our lives every day. Which means that these will become habits and routine. They are incredibly hard now because they are the opposite of how we would behave naturally if no one and nothing got in our way. Because it is not how we naturally respond to things, it requires mental effort and to do them. Yet, over time, as the Spirit works in us, we will find times (not necessarily always, but at least times) when they just happen. These moments we can say, "To God be the glory!"
How about which "Fruit" is your fruit? That was my first question. What we've seen though is that they are all tied together. It's like a circle that has been cut into 9 pieces. It is incomplete without every single piece being there. Unfortunately, that means that no matter how good we are in the areas of patience and self-control, if we are not loving and faithful people, then the patience and self-control are our own doing and not the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Does that make them bad? NO! That's not what I'm saying. However, as we have areas that we struggle in (especially if we struggle daily, or at least consistently) we need to take that to God in prayer.
"God, I am not consistent in the area of self-control. So often I fail at it miserable. God, I want the Holy Spirit to work in my life. I do not want to quench him (1 Thess 5;19) or grieve him (Eph 4:30). Rather, I want to, in giving you control of my life, allow the Holy Spirit to guide me and shape me in to the person you want me to be."
...and, according to Galatians 5:22, if I am doing that, then Self-control will be a part of my character. Will I be perfect, no. However, the overall character that people see in me and that I see in myself will be one of self-control. And love. And joy. And peace. And patience. And kindness. And goodness. And faithfulness. And meekness.
To God be the glory...because I would not demonstrate those things consistently without the Holy Spirit working in my life to make me something other than what I would be without God's work in me!
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