The Fruit Of The Spirit
This passage has always encouraged me. I hope you find some encouragement and peace from it.
Galatians 5:22-26 "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. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Against such things there is no law. Really? Think about it. If everyone had these gifts in abundance, we wouldn't hardly need law at all. There definitely isn't any laws against them.
Continuing on to the second part, the opposites to these gifts are easily named under "passions and desires". Only with Christ can we put these away and behind us. Selfishness, despair, madness, anger, um, nastiness, disloyalty, malice and impulsiveness.
Those all sound horrible, and mean, but when I think of when I've acted without Christ, that is exactly what I'm like. Yet, what is so awesome is when I work in Jesus, I see him making me kind, controlled, gentle, joyful, all these things. Literally the feeling of spiritual peace is like buoyant boots or something. It's weird and awesome!
Then the passage challenges me. Since I am a believer, live like a believer, and not just like a believer, but the life of one trying to reflect Jesus; our perfect example.
Lastly, this passage issues another challenge. How real this challenge is. The more righteous I feel, the easier it is to look down on others. I can see my own flaws all the time. I am no better than anyone else, especially in the Fathers eyes. Several times I feel I must be more of a wretched lump than surely anyone else. This verse helps though, John 3:30, "He must become greater; I must become less." In short, strive to become humble. Work for God, and seek only his affirmation, and the pride of the world becomes rather dim.
The Fruit if the Spirit helps me daily. I hope that you will let it and God light up your life too.
Galatians 5:22-26 "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. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Against such things there is no law. Really? Think about it. If everyone had these gifts in abundance, we wouldn't hardly need law at all. There definitely isn't any laws against them.
Continuing on to the second part, the opposites to these gifts are easily named under "passions and desires". Only with Christ can we put these away and behind us. Selfishness, despair, madness, anger, um, nastiness, disloyalty, malice and impulsiveness.
Those all sound horrible, and mean, but when I think of when I've acted without Christ, that is exactly what I'm like. Yet, what is so awesome is when I work in Jesus, I see him making me kind, controlled, gentle, joyful, all these things. Literally the feeling of spiritual peace is like buoyant boots or something. It's weird and awesome!
Then the passage challenges me. Since I am a believer, live like a believer, and not just like a believer, but the life of one trying to reflect Jesus; our perfect example.
Lastly, this passage issues another challenge. How real this challenge is. The more righteous I feel, the easier it is to look down on others. I can see my own flaws all the time. I am no better than anyone else, especially in the Fathers eyes. Several times I feel I must be more of a wretched lump than surely anyone else. This verse helps though, John 3:30, "He must become greater; I must become less." In short, strive to become humble. Work for God, and seek only his affirmation, and the pride of the world becomes rather dim.
The Fruit if the Spirit helps me daily. I hope that you will let it and God light up your life too.
Comments
Post a Comment