When put into certain situations, it shows exactly what you are made of.
Situations like the first year of marriage, the first time living on your own or going away to college, the emotional time after a breakup, the grieving time after losing someone special to you, or just transitional seasons of life.
Like the year 2020. That was a situation in itself.
I found myself in uncharted territory. I was angry and bitter. I lacked love and patience for certain people. I was a ball of emotions, ready to explode at any and all moments.
When we are in these seasons of life (and any season of life really), we need to answer this one important question…
What am I made of?
Here is what you should be made of:
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23
Would you describe yourself as loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle or self-controlled?
Because I certainly cannot. I am so far from perfect it is crazy. But when you constantly are aware of these attributes in life situations, it changes things.
When money is tight, am I being self-controlled?
When I snap at my kids, am I being gentle?
When my husband and I are arguing, am I being loving and kind?
When praying for things, am I being patient?
Every day, we need to be growing in these fruits of the Spirit. We become fruitful when we spend time with the Holy Spirit and when we are consciously aware of what fruits and characteristics we are displaying.
If we would just take a second to stop and think before we act, our Christian lives would change so dramatically.
I have gotten into the habit of pausing and asking myself, “Okay Sierra, are you being loving right now? Are you being joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, gentle and self-controlled?” If so, proceed!
One way or another, you are producing some kind of fruit. It may be vibrant, lush, abundant, delicious fruit. Or it may be rotten, putrid, nasty fruit.
The Bible tells us we will be known by our fruit. The fruit that we produce is the fruit that we are known by. None of us want to be known for our bad, rotten fruit.
It’s time for us Christians to be responsible for the fruit we are producing and putting out into the world.
So, what are you made of?
Response Journal Questions:
What are you made of & what are the characteristics you have been consistently noticing in yourself? (Anger, fear, depression, sadness, doubt, joy, peace?)
Take Inventory of the fruits of the spirit and rate yourself 1-10 for each of them (1=lacking, 10=perfection)
Example:
Love-7
Joy-6
Peace-3, etc.
Which fruits am I going to actively work on?
Pray with me!
Father God, please show me what I am made of. Help me to take inventory of the fruit I am producing in my life and reveal to me what I need to work on. Help me to grow closer to you and become more like you. I want to represent you well. I want to be full of the fruits of the spirit. Give me wisdom and strength to be fruitful in every area of my life.
In Jesus’ name, amen!
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