Scripture: Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Devotional: When we think of how God has called us to live, often what first comes to mind is a to-do list. We think about reading our Bible, going to church, and volunteering at the soup kitchen. We may even think about things like being baptized, saving sex for marriage, and inviting people to church. Each of these things are great things that we should be doing, but none of them are a means of salvation. Yes, many of them are given to us in the Bible, which is itself the very Word of God, but these things alone are not enough. We must know Jesus as our Savior. That is the most important thing.
When we know Jesus as our Savior, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. He dwells within us at all times. We are given the fullness of the Spirit from the moment of our salvation. And He is at work within us. And when we think about how God has called us to live, it is more than just the list of things from above. It is more than a list with boxes to check. It is about laying down the desires of our flesh and letting the Spirit do His work within us.
God has called us to a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I don’t know about you, but when I see this list, I realize that I have a lot of room for growth. Each day, I need to lay myself down. I need to give myself over to my Savior. I need to pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to work in me. That He would bring about the fruit of the Spirit in greater and greater ways in my life. And that I would continue to see the areas where I fall short.
Isn’t it refreshing to know that we have a God who is not just interested in what we can accomplish? That He is about much more than just rituals and works? He is interested in our hearts and the hearts of others. He is interested in making us more like Him. He is interested in sanctifying us and setting us apart. He is interested in manifesting all the fruit of the Spirit so that others may see Him at work and give their lives to Him. We are not simply called to do things; we are also called to be more like Jesus.
Reflect:
- Which of the attributes listed in the fruit of the Spirit do you come by most naturally? Which do you struggle with the most?
- Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to work in you in each of these areas so that others may see Jesus when they encounter you.