I grew understanding that you could always tell where you or others were at by the fruit that they were producing within their lives. Fruit being the things that flow out from our heart and defines our character. For example, being kind and generous; or being selfish and proud; being inclusive or exclusive; showing love or being jealous and insecure; showing grace or holding a grudge. Ultimately these character traits, or fruit produced within our lives can either testify that our hearts are healthy and flourishing, or that they have been neglected and are not being nurtured in the best way possible.
This in turn can negatively or positively effect those around us. Our loving positive attitude can influence and inspire others, whereas our negative selfish habits can break and push others away from us. Therefore, we need to always make sure that we are taking care of our heart, by being mindful of what we put into it, and how we nurture it. Everything flows from our heart, the good and the bad. Therefore, we need to sow the right things, in order to reap a harvest of great things in our lives.
In the Bible it talks about the fruit of the Spirit being the following :
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23
The fruit of the Holy Spirit does not come naturally to us, as we are human, flawed and sinful. Yet, with God and with His Holy Spirit it can nurture and grow the above fruit in our lives, not only for the purpose of blessing us, but also the lives of those we have the honor of encountering.
A closer look at the fruits of the Spirit
1. Love – Love gives freely without looking at whether the other person deserves it, and it gives without expecting anything back.
2. Joy – Unlike happiness, joy is gladness that is completely independent of the good or bad things that happen in the course of the day. In fact, joy denotes a supernatural gladness given by God’s Spirit that actually seems to show up best during hard times
3. Peace – During trying circumstances, God’s supernatural peace comforts us and keeps us feeling calm and confident that God is in control despite the chaos around us.
4. Patience – Being patient is never easy, especially when we are living in a very fast paced microwave era. We want everything to happen with a quick click of the finger. Yet, patience means showing grace, kindness, and love without rushing or demanding the process to be rushed.
5. Kindness – Kindness is also propelled by love. It’s gentle, thoughtful and it shows grace and mercy, which everyone needs.
6. Goodness – Goodness reflects the heart of God, as it chooses to see and believe in the best of others despite the odds and circumstance.
7. Self-control – Self-control is literally releasing our grip on the fleshly desires, choosing instead to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. It is power focused in the right place.
8. Faithfulness – This is someone who has unwavering integrity, and holds steadfast onto the promises of God. They will believe in the best in others, and in their circumstances despite what the world says.
9. Gentleness – Being gentle towards others is not a sign of weakness. It lovingly forgives, it gently corrects and encourages others, and it lives at peace with others.
If you are wanting to cultivate and nurture the above fruit of the Holy Spirit, then may I encourage you to ask God for His Holy Spirit to lovingly help and empower you to do so. It will not only change the way you do things, but it will positively impact and influence those around you.