22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23 ESV)
Yesterday in small group at church, we looked at part of Paul's letter to the Galatians. Near the end of that epistle, Paul lists the various aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit. As usual whenever this list is presented, I realized how lacking I was in demonstrating this list. And, as usual, I walked away from the scripture feeling like a man who has looked in a mirror and discovered he had a woeful case of bedhead and a large red pimple popping up on the end of his nose.
James warns us that if we look in the mirror of scripture, see ourselves lacking, but do nothing, we are deceiving ourselves into thinking we are something we are not. (James 1:21-25 ESV) If God's revelation and/or conviction does not cause us to make changes, then I believe those heavenly messages will become less and less frequent causing us to miss out on blessings and possibly place ourselves outside of some of God's protections.
As I pondered the FOTS, I was reminded of the constant struggle I have with feeling joy and peace, and as a consequence, demonstrating the remaining: patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is not a new phenomenon, but a years' long battle. It is at times frustrating, angering, even debilitating. Paul tells us that through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, all Christians possess the FOTS. Why then has it been so elusive in my life?
For me the answer hinges on the first aspect of the FOTS, "love".
When Paul lists love, he is referring to love we have for others. It is what Christ commands when he tells the scribes the second greatest command is to "love your neighbors as yourself". (Mark 12:28-31 ESV)
But there is another aspect of love that must grasped before we can hope to truly see the effects of the FOTS is our lives. That is the love that our Father has for us. Until we start to grasp the depth and permanence and purity of the love Abba has for his children, we will live in fear, uncertainty, and anxiousness.
Countless wedding goers have heard 1 Corinthians 13 read as part of the ceremony. It is often referred to as the "Love Chapter" and held up as the standard for how we should love each other. While it certainly is to be read with that mindset, I think it is also useful to help us understand how God loves each of his children.
To begin to grasp how God loves us, spend some time studying and praying over 1 Corinthians 13. When we begin to accept and truly believe in God's love for us, then the Fruit of the Spirit can start to grow in our lives.
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