The {Fruit} of the Spirit

   I've been mulling a certain issue over in my mind for several days now, something that has caused me to fret, and has carried my feelings too far. It has caused me to turn my face to God and ask questions of myself. What attribute of God am I doubting? Has this issue taken God's place in my thought life? Has it been dominating my actions and interactions with other people? It is an issue that God has convicted me of idolizing. I have worked hard on surrendering it to God, because I know now is not the proper time to focus on it. And now He has presented my faltering, deceptive heart a chance to turn this issue back to Him. {I would appreciate your prayers.}

   Anyway, what I would like to say is that in my meditations, God has given me new meat to chew and things to do. And I would like to share them with you. =^)

   If you have been reading my blog in the past month, you might know that I have written a few posts about facts over feelings. About how emotions aren't the cause, but the result. Since my emotions have been troubling me more lately, I have the chance to practice what I preach. Today, about an hour ago in fact, I was reading my Bible and pondering the fruit of the Spirit. Going through the list, they at first appear to be emotions:  love, joy, peace... And in fact emotions are involved with some of these. But then you get to actions:  patience, kindness, goodness... And mindsets, or behaviors:  faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. What is the dealio? Are they all emotions? Or are they all behaviors? Or just a mish-mash of it all?

   Most people look at the list and see all the attributes they would like to improve on. They make a checklist out of it and start working hard to be more patient or kind. But how to go about being patient or kind... do you try to feel more patient? How often does a situation come along where you fail and become discouraged because you weren't patient like you were trying to be?

   I think what God has shown me is that the fruit of the Spirit is FRUIT! It is the result of abiding in Christ, the vine. Good fruit is the result of pruning by God, the vine-dresser. The conclusion that my mom and I came to was that abiding in Christ and having fruit in your life is finding knowledge, or truth, and having the appropriate actions, based on that knowledge or truth. 

   For example, once in awhile, I have the obligation to get up at 5:30am and prepare for work. I know that God has given me a good job, that by getting up early I have extra time to myself and a great start to my day, and that morning is basically the most beautiful part of a day. But then I have a choice. I can focus on the negative side (lack of sleep... um. Honestly not much else. lol) and have a crabby attitude. My actions will follow my attitude... I will probably have a crabby, lazy, unproductive morning.

   Or, I can choose to focus on the positive. I can have a productive morning, a good cup of joe, get my private devotions done early, and have the rest of the afternoon all to myself. And fruit will come of that, namely, joy, peace, faithfulness and self-control. Is this making sense?

   I believe that this can be applied to all the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians says  "And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."  What is the opposite of peace? Worry and stress. First, put away worry and stress, which make us dependent on ourselves. Then focus on the knowledge that God is all-powerful. He is in control and that nothing happens outside of His plan. Then live that truth. Let your actions reflect the fact that God is in control. Walk in the Spirit.

   I challenge you to do something that I am working on. I have written all 9 fruits of the Spirit in my journal. I am going to look up their definitions, and also note the sinful, opposite attributes. I am going to find truth about God that applies to each fruit, such as God's omniscience relating to peace, and His good plan and perfect timing for patience. And finally find ways for me to walk daily, based on those truths.