Galatians 5:22-23(NIV) – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self‑control.
Cultivating character is impossible without the Holy Spirit providing the power behind the process. Deep works in character are accomplished by a deep work of God in the life of a believer.
Like soil, the human heart harbors many seeds. In farming, some seeds have been known to remain dormant for years before sprouting and characterizing their type. Other seeds sprout soon after hitting the soil and need to either cultivated out or nurtured. Any farmer will tell you that trying to remove weeds from a field is a process that needs attention, hard work and tenacity. An entire crop that is intentionally planted by a farmer can be severely affected if weeds are allowed to grow alongside the produce. If weed-like desires are allowed to grow in the heart of a person, the fruit of the Spirit may not be exhibited in the way that Christ intends for it to be.
To be open to the work of the Holy Spirit, one must be willing to relinquish control of their reactions in exchange for keeping step with the Holy Spirit. Being in stride with the work of the Holy Spirit is directly related to the level of obedience that a person exhibits towards the work of God. While willpower can change some bad habits, when it comes to the inner nature that a person is born with, only Christ can make the difference between a life driven by sinful desires and a life that produces the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Reflections
Context of scripture verse – Galatians 5:1-26
Consider:
- Read the context of the verses
Challenge:
- Do you have bad habits that continually trip you up? Have you tried to “stop” doing them but keep losing the battle?
Apply:
- Instead of focusing on the fruit of your actions (the result), begin asking God to help you focus on the root (the source). God will show you areas in your life that you need to submit and turn over to Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to heal, restore and reconstruct areas that have been ineffective. Write down the changes in your actions as a testimony of God’s power.
Note to Self: (reflections, challenges, reminders)