At the young adults service at my church they have been talking about Galations 5:22-23 and the Fruit of the Spirit.
I realized it's something I've known about for so long that I never even thought about it. But now that I am thinking about it; it is what it is called: the Fruit (a product of something grown) of the (Holy) Spirit.
Perhaps this sounds like a juvenile revelation of the obvious, but it hit me like a brick from the sky! Wham! I totally didn't see it coming!
(God is good at surprising me by showing me things that have been hiding under my nose.)
So, the Fruit is a display of the change that comes from getting close to the Holy Spirit, the One Who Teaches, the Comfortor, and Lover of my soul.
When I saw it from this new point of view, it no longer looked like a list of ideals I can never live up to. It is simply the by-products and the way I can recognize what God is doing in me.
I love how the Message Bible talks about it in a new way.
Galations 5:22-23 the Message (Sabrina's version)
But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard – things like afection for others (love), exuberance about life (joy), serenity (peace). We develope a willingness to stick with things (patience), a sence of compassion in the heart (kindness), and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people (goodness). We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments (faithfulness), not needing to for our way in life (gentleness), able to marshal and direct our energies wisely (self-control).
Now that I've had this heavy, brick-like revelation, with God's help things might start to get a little fruity. 🙂
