The Fruit of the Spirit

In my last post I said that the whole of the Christian life is about grace. That includes justification, sanctification and glorification. (I am not just using those big words to show that I know what they mean!). In other words we have been saved, we are being saved, we will be saved.

But, as a result of God's grace, we respond to what he has done. These responses show themselves in what Paul in Galatians calls the fruit of the Spirit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
(Gal 5:22-23 NIV).

These are things that God gives us too. We have the responsibility to show them in our lives. I need to ask myself; in my dealings with people. If they are not pleasant, do I respond with love or wanting to get my own back, to score points. Do I realise that I have joy and peace that comes from God. Am I patient and kind, or do I react too quickly and inappropriately? Does my reaction show goodness and faithfulness to God, in other words to I respond as Jesus would? Do I show gentleness and self control, which comes back to love.

The real challenge is that these reactions can be internal. We may not show to others exactly how we are feeling, but inside it is possible to respond in the wrong way. God knows our hearts. My prayer is that I will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, both for others to see and in my heart, which only God sees. That is all of grace too!