20. Fruit…

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Galatians 5:22-25

Living in the Spirit is like having the best mentor of all time available at all hours for advice, a soundboard of wisdom and discernment. It is like having a personal coach running alongside us, encouraging us on, teaching us how to live, giving us daily tips.

When Jesus chose his disciples, he took on the role of mentor, coach and teacher, developing their character, skills and talents. Today the Holy Spirit has the same role in our lives. When we sit under the mentorship of the Holy Spirit, everything we do changes. We begin to look for opportunities to make a difference. We bring joy into the lives of others. We love where it’s not easy to love.

The nine behaviours listed by Paul are usually referred to as the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ and are evident when we live in the Spirit or walk in the Spirit each day. Let’s take a look at how these ‘fruits’ are evidenced in our lives, if you have some time consider the questions or come back to them later:

1. Love – how have you shown love to yourself and others today? (love your neighbour as yourself – Matthew 22:39)
2. Joy – do you experience joy as you go about your day? (The joy of the Lord is your strength – Nehemiah 8:10)
3. Peace – are you a peacemaker or do you stir up trouble? (God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God – Matthew 5:9)
4. Patience – how does your patience with yourself and others rate on a scale of 1-10? (We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so that you will have all the endurance and patience you need – Colossians 1:11)
5. Kindness – is your default setting to be kind to yourself and others? (Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people – Philemon 1:7)
6. Goodness – Do you daily seek to be good as God is good to you? (I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness – Romans 15:14)
7. Faithfulness – Are you faithful to God, yourself, and others in all that you do? (For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ – Hebrews 3:14)
8. Gentleness – Is there an underlying gentleness in your dealings with yourself and others? (You should clothe yourself instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God – 1 Peter 3:4)
9. Self-control – Do you practise being in control of your feelings, words, actions? (So, prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world – 1 Peter 1:13)

So, how did you do? Operating in the fruit of the Spirit is a lifestyle choice that we make anew each day. How we live our lives day to day directly influences how God will use us and bring purpose to our lives.

Prayer: Lord, it’s not always easy to love others, find joy in a situation, bring peace to a circumstance, be kind to someone who has insulted you. Give us the tenacity and the insight to serve out of the fruit that your Holy Spirit gives to us.

Amen

Action: Pick a couple of the fruits listed in Galatians 5:22 and focus on using them as you go about your day.

Journal your thoughts: