Self-Control
Read: Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Timothy 1:3-7 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control. (vv. 22-23) Last but not least, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Self-control, or any moderation for that matter, is a stark contrast to the works of the flesh that Paul lists (Gal. 5:19-21). We can work hard at altering our […]
Gentleness
Read: Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 4:4-7 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . gentleness. (vv. 22-23) For some reason, when I think about gentleness in contemporary terms I picture someone standing up to a bully. Not fighting back against the bully, but not tolerating him either. This kind of gentleness has the strength to confront violence and […]
Faithfulness
Read: Galatians 5:22-23; Hebrews 12:1-2 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . faithfulness. (v. 22) “There is no shadow of turning with Thee.” That’s how we describe God’s faithfulness in the familiar hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” This image reflects loyalty and commitment—the one who is faithful can be trusted to follow through. An interesting debate […]
Goodness
Read: Galatians 5:22-23; Genesis 1 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . goodness. (v. 22) We use the word “good” in all sorts of ways. The food was good, my day was good, the kids were good, the movie was good, his Spanish is good, I’m feeling good. What might “goodness” as a fruit of the […]
February 2024 Prayer Guide
NIGER — Pray for three children who were brought to our producer after having been abandoned. Our producer agreed to take in the children, and the church has rallied to provide support—helping to supply food and raising funds so that the children can once again attend school. Pray that the Lord will be at work […]
Kindness
Read: Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . kindness. (v. 22) One of my favorite poets, Naomi Shahib Nye, wrote a poem called “Kindness” in which she depicts kindness as something we can only really know when we have also known sorrow. I like this contrast; it evokes the sense in […]
Patience
Read: Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 3:12-15 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . patience. (v. 22) No one advertises a smartphone, computer, or tablet as “nice and slow.” Each new technological gadget is faster than the last. Our sense of what is “slow” and what is “fast” gets pretty warped as a result. When we catch ourselves […]
Peace
Read: Galatians 5:16-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . peace. (v. 22) Paul lists “strife,” “rivalries,” and “dissension” among the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:20), but peace blossoms from the work of the Spirit. We cherish peace at many levels—a peaceful moment free from noise, a break in the fighting between siblings or nations, […]
Joy
Read: Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 1:15-21 But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy. (v. 22) What comes to mind when you think of joy? What was the last experience you had that you would describe as “sheer joy”? Joy is different from happiness. “The pursuit of happiness” is prized in the American Declaration of Independence as […]