Saturday, March 22, 2014

JOY is my middle name

It really is! (but that’s not the point) I read Galatians 5: 22-26 this morning. In verses 22 and 23 Paul (the author of this book) tells us what is the “fruit of the Spirit.” Growing up in church, I think I’ve had these verses memorized since forever; but that doesn’t mean that I have developed all of these fruits in my life. “Now those you belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (vs. 24). The fruit of the Spirit is what identifies a mature Christian-and this fruit-“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control” will be the result when I surrender to the Holy Spirit (not from obeying the Law, which is what Paul is arguing against). I don’t think we usually consider surrender to be a good thing; but when a person is controlled by the Holy Spirit, they find freedom in Him. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever be able to have each of these virtues in my life, but it’s a process, and I have to daily surrender myself to the Holy Spirit.

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