Apr 11 - Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness [²³gentleness,

and self-control]

Galatians 5:22

Bible Rank: 27

 

Which of these do you desire most in life?

 

·         Love, Joy, Peace?

·         … or … Patience, Kindness, Generosity?

·         … or … Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control?

 

My answer is “Yes!” “Please!” “I want them all!!!” Of course!

 

So, how do I get them? See if you can find the common characteristic in these statements.

 

·         On my own, I can often manufacture more love … than if I wasn’t trying.

·         On my own, I can do things that make me happier. (But is that true joy?)

·         By learning to channel my emotions, I can respond to events more peacefully.

·         Self-help techniques – and counting to ten before I react – can make me more patient.

·         By seeking to understand the other person’s perspective, I can be kinder.

·         If learn to be less selfish, I achieve more goodness – or more “generosity” (as some translations render it).

·         More devotion equals a little more faith.

·         More love and more kindness (two earlier items on the list) will generally make me more gentle.

·         And increasing self-control is a matter of more practice and greater discipline, right?

 

So … did you see it? My human efforts can do what? They make me “more” and better. (Wait! Did you see it?) Me, myself, and I and practice and effort and successes and failures do what? They push me a few inches further down the road. But the ultimate “joy” – that this passage promises – is elusive as long as an imperfect actor (you or me) is trying to manufacture it ourselves.

 

Yes, you may get “more,” you may get closer, but you don’t get “it”!

 

And “it” is true love, perfect joy, and abiding peace. “It” is the patience of the Father. “It” is the kindness of Jesus. “It” is the goodness and generosity of the Spirit.

 

Do you want “it”?

 

Well, how do you get “it”?

 

The answer is simple. You don’t! “It” only comes as a gift given by the Spirit!

 

The secret, therefore, isn’t chasing earthly things like happiness or love. The secret is yielding your heart to God. And as you break your heart open in tearful confession, heartfelt submission, and genuine worship, the Holy Spirit comes more fully in. He fills you to overflowing. And what pours out is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who wants to be like

the fellow in The Operation game

(I want an obvious hole where my heart is

So that the Spirit can reach in with tweezers

And remove my heart of stone

And give me a heart of flesh – see