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.
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.
So how did it go? Last time, I encouraged you to make an effort
to act lovingly towards all for one whole day.
I gave it a go as well. I must
say that I think I did better than I would have if I hadn’t adopted the
conscious intention to love all day long.
I edited some of my smart-ass remarks before they came out of my
mouth. I made an effort to speak some
kindness to others that I all too often withhold. I tried to be thoughtful and do some favors
for others that I could have easily gotten away with not doing. The consciously-held intention to love did
make a difference.
Before you applaud my efforts, I
also have to say that I failed miserably.
I mentioned that I edited only SOME of my smart-ass comments. I was only half-listening when someone I
claim to love was talking to me. I
failed to follow-up with someone that was expecting to me do so. I could go on and on, but the point is that
although I made a bold effort to love all at all times for just one day, I
couldn’t do it. Furthermore, it was exhausting.
Holding that intention all day literally made my brain hurt. You might have had similar experience. We can’t will our way into loving
perfectly.
Willing our way into living right
is a good way to describe what Paul says are the “acts of the flesh”
above. Left to our own devices, we
invariably check off some of boxes on the list Paul makes of those acts of the
flesh. Even with good intentions, we
can’t seem to avoid the pitfalls all the time.
Admitting that is Step 1; our lives have become unmanageable. The surprise is that admitting our inability
is actually the beginning of getting better.
It is this confession that helps us know that we need help and the help
we need is God.
Fortunately, God is willing. God has given the Holy Spirit to all who have
asked and the Holy Spirit is how Love begins to live through us. When that happens, the fruit of the Spirit
begins to bloom in us. It’s not magic
and instantaneous (I wish it were!).
Most often, it’s a gradual transformation of our character. Theologians call this the process of
sanctification, the gracious work of the Spirit living in us. Hundreds of books have been written about it,
but the process has yet to be demystified. That’s because knowledge about such things is
“too wonderful” (Ps. 139:6) for us. The
good news is we don’t have to be able to explain it fully to have it work in
us. We just have to believe and expect
that it will work in us.
As I recall some “video clip”
memories in my mind of who I was when I was a teen, I sometimes struggle to
recognize that young man. It makes me
realize how much work God has done on my soul.
The crazy thing is that, at the very same time, I am so much more acutely
aware than that young man was of how much more work God has yet to do on me
yet. The work will continue; I expect that it
will. I will try to cooperate. I invite you to do the same.
Question: Can you
identify at least one bona fide difference in the “fruit” being displayed in
your life now compared to the time before you knew God?
Prayer: God of
Sanctifying Grace, we know we are not who we are destined to be yet, but we
thank you that we are not what we used to be.
We expect that you will continue to produce the fruit of your Spirit in
and through us. We can’t wait to see
what you will do next. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Spend
some time asking God to show you what the Spirit is doing in you during this
season of your life.
Song: Breathe on Me -
Hillsong
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