Published 10/15/19
Read
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
Reflect
Why is it important to nurture the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?
As your relationship with Christ grows, the Holy Spirit will begin developing the special fruit in your life. As this fruit is manifested and multiplied in your life, it serves as a witness to those around you that you belong to God.
But think about this: You won’t automatically become the world’s most patient person simply because you’re a Christian and patience is a fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit develops this fruit in your life, and that’s a process. Think of actual fruit growing on a tree. It doesn’t appear as soon as you plant the seed. Nor does this fruit of the Spirit appear as soon as you accept Christ as your Savior.
But as you water an apple seedling, it will eventually become a tree. It requires sun, water, and great care, however, to become a tree. And once it’s a tree, bearing fruit still doesn’t happen immediately. Again, it’s a process. But finally, you’ll see the apple on the branch of your tree, and you’ll rejoice at the final product. To grow spiritually, you require the Son’s nourishment. This comes from the Bible, the Holy Spirit, corporate worship, and accountability. As you mature in your faith, the fruit of the Spirit becomes evidenced in your lifestyle.
Does this mean that all of the fruit of the Spirit will always be evident in your life all the time? No. But when you’re not experiencing peace, for example, you can quickly discover why. There’s an extremely important paragraph of scripture before the one listed for today that will show you why you’re not experiencing a specific fruit of the Spirit. Let’s take a look:
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19–21).
You wonder why you’re not experiencing peace? Use this paragraph as a checklist. Read through the acts of the flesh and find the one you’re currently struggling with. For example, if you’re displaying anger (fits of rage), that explains why you’re not experiencing peace.
It’s exciting how God’s Word can help us not only grow closer to Him but guide us into becoming more like Him!
Pray
Lord, grow the fruit of the Spirit in my life. Help me to be more like You. Amen