Today’s Bible Verse helps us to think of God’s action in our lives and in our world.
We are known by our fruits…
Bible Verse
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23
Which fruits of the Spirit do I recognize in myself and how do they help in my dealings with others?
Think about these questions and now, slowly and carefully read the verse in its context in St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians (5.16-26)
Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.
The passage encourages us to look at what is negative – ‘works of the flesh’ and what is positive ‘fruits of the Spirit.’ Consider your life, like all lives it contains contrasts. Pause and pray that you may be guided by God’s Spirit. Which of the fruits of the spirit will you try to grow in your life. Pray for help to encourage this growth.
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