Galatians 5:22-23
22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
When I read these verses I find so much 'meat' in them for believers. So often people think they must overcome the flesh in order to live by the Spirit. But actually they have it backwards, we must live by the Spirit in order to overcome our flesh. I see the above verses in this way:
When we truly understand the "Love" of God for us and who we are IN Him, we can have a great "joy" knowing that we can rest in His love. And in this understanding of his love and through the joy, we experience "peace" (that goes beyond all understanding); and even in the midst of chaos we can have peace. That peace allows us to wait on God in all our circumstances, and out of this flows "patience". When we are patiently waiting on God and loving others with the heart of patience, we are responding to those around us though "Kindness". When we respond to others though his kindness we show others his goodness. Its also by his "goodness" that we are able to see the good even in the most difficult of times, for there is grace even when our world is turning upside down. When we can see with the eyes of God, who is good, we become more "faithful"- knowing He is in control, he is good and we can respond to our difficulties and challenges with a "gentleness" that is the fragrance of God. In that gentle reaction to all things, we learn even greater "self control." So while our world is crumbling and my knees (flesh) want to shake because of it, I will choose to rest in the Love of God, waiting on him to work in and through me; producing the above fruit that I otherwise could not do on my own. So Christians, what sets us apart from the world? We must not wring our hands at all that is going one, but instead lift them in Holy praise. When others look at us, will they find us scrambling and scared or will they see in our gentleness that shines through quiet faith? Let us always point the way to the Father and not give power to the one who wants us running in fear. If we are to be a glorious fragrance for our King, let us draw into his Spirit and rest in his love. Let's wear out the knees of our pants and be ready to give account of the great HOPE we have in Christ through a quiet gentle Spirit that is grounded in his love.
