The Fruit We Should Be Cultivating Spiritually

The Bible is full of references that talk about farming, reaping and sowing. Perhaps because it was such an important and necessary part of life then. You didn't just run to the corner grocery store and pick up a few things then.

In Galatians 5:22-23 we are given the fruit of the Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." We aren't talking about real fruit here, but character traits that we grow in as we grow in our relationship with God. Here the fruits are the outcome of our personal relationship with God.

I know myself, I am not always the strongest in any of these. Like anything else, it is going to take time and patience. Repeated action will make these second nature over time. I sometimes feel like I am starting out behind everyone else because of the life I have had; but it is a comfort to know that it is all within your grasp if you just decide to do it. Whatever our circumstances, we can make the decision to walk towards something better.

Love is the first of these. Surely it is one of the more important ones; it not only comes first here, but it is a recurrent theme through out the Bible. Love of self, love of others, love of your neighbor, your spouse, your children, perfect strangers; it is definitely a big one. Of course with love comes a whole host of other qualities; the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians is only a start. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us about love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." So there are a whole laundry list of more character traits we are supposed to have.

The other fruits are still important and it seems like if you start to make developments in some of them, the others will be easier to advance along. The traits complement and build on each other. When you are really walking in love, you are going to be more patient and gentle. Likewise if you are exhibiting the qualities of love you are going to bring more of the other things into your life. If you aren't as easily angered and you aren't throwing up every past wrong, then you will have more peace in your life. More peace in your life means more joy. When you are more peaceful and joyful, you will receive more love in your life. The thing to do now is get it all rolling in the right direction.

Resources
Day 64 - When Quitting Seems Tempting

Bible Gateway - Galatians 5:22-26

Bible Gateway - 1 Corinthians 13