Galatians 5:22-23

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Ahhh…this is a well-worn page in my Bible. I’m sure it is in yours, too. This passage of scripture has been taught by many a Sunday school teacher throughout time. I can see a picture hanging on the classroom wall of an orange with “peace” written on it, an apple with “love,” a watermelon with “patience” and so on. I remember thinking that if I could reach a point in my life where I had all the fruits of the Spirit, I’d be a really good Christian girl. So this began my many years of praying for these fruits of the Spirit and striving to institute disciplines in my life to produce this elusive fruit that Paul talks about.

Then of course, you hear things like,”You better not pray for patience or God will put you in situations where you will need to practice patience!” This statement could be applied to any of the fruits of the Spirit, so this made me hesitant to pray for such things. How confusing! I wanted to have all the fruits of the Spirit, but if I pray for them, then God will make bad things happen for me to grow the fruits in my life…? Is that how it works? Is God really like that?

You guyssss….this is a bunch nonsense! Go back and read the beginning of this verse. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:” The HOLY SPIRIT produces the fruit, not me! I can’t produce the fruit from my own discipline, effort, or measly attempts. The fruit cannot be forced out of our lives. It’s the Holy Spirit working in you that causes the fruit to come out. This whole section of Galatians chapter 5 is about living by the Spirit’s power!

If you are walking in the Spirit and full of the Spirit, you will have love, joy, peace, etc. in your life. So, instead of praying for more peace, self-control or joy, we should be praying for and allowing the Holy Spirit to be fully activated in our lives.

The fruit of the Spirit is not a religious goal attained through ritualistic discipline. The fruit of the Spirit is a natural and automatic manifestation of Holy Spirit working in your life!

There is no striving in the Spirit! There is an effortless flow that we can step into when we heed the voice of Holy Spirit in our lives. As a born-again believer, you have access to the life-changing fruit of the Spirit. Stop begging God for more patience or joy. Tap into His Spirit and enjoy all His benefits.

Thank you, Father, for the power of your Holy Spirit in my life. Thank you for peace that passes all understanding, joy unspeakable, and supernatural love for Your people. As I continue to walk with You, let the fruit of Your Spirit in me declare Your goodness, gentleness, and faithfulness to the world around me. Rather than trying to discipline myself into self-control, I submit myself to You and allow You to take the reins of my mind, will and emotions. May Your Holy Spirit literally flow out of me like rivers of living water onto everyone I encounter. In Your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.