This is a meditation on chapter 15 from our Way of Life.

Embody the Fruit of the Spirit in your Life

I have believed, for most of my life, that I am called to become more like Jesus. To not simply take what He said or did and believe it, but to allow it to transform my life from the inside. But the Fruit of the Spirit is a funny thing to me. I can make myself show kindness to someone and not have it flow from my innermost being. I can manufacture joy by doing something I know brings about that feeling. I can use my strong will to exhibit self-control over something I may want but maybe shouldn’t have. But can I force myself to have patience, aside from the act of waiting? Can I make myself love someone?

When I look again back to the person of Jesus, I see the Fruit of the Spirit flow from Him. I read about the interactions Jesus had with those around him. Many people wanted something from him, and yet his instinct was to have compassion on them. To love them. It flowed from his innermost being. It came out of the essence of who he was. He didn’t have to stop and think about if he had the energy to muster up the goodness and gentleness he gave. It poured from him. 

One of the things I hope for is to experience the Fruit of the Spirit naturally flowing out of me, into the depths of the world. To embody parts of who Jesus is at his core, and to share those things with those around me. It’s something I know I will forever fall short in. But that can’t let me keep from working at it. There is definitely a tension between the “doing” of the Fruit of the Spirit, and embodying it. Certain things can be practiced, and can in turn transform my character. But the bigger impact comes from the quiet, internal work, and the time spent with God. This time spent listening to God, in conversation with God, and simply being with God. Time spent with God is transformative. The more I spend with God in prayer, the more I see the natural outpouring of the Fruit in my life and interactions. 

It can be difficult in different seasons to prioritize this. I’ve seen it many times in my own life. Periods of time when I’m lacking patience with people I know or even don’t know. Times when I could have been more gentle in an interaction and instead caused harm. Times where I’m searching for peace, and it just seems elusive. It is in these times when I look around and realize that I’m spending too much of my time not focused on God. It isn’t meant to bring shame when God reveals this to me, rather it is His invitation to step back into rhythm with God. To take time throughout my day to be with God. The Fruit of the Spirit is not just about me, experiencing it for myself. It is about the dwelling of God within me. It is a tangible way to embody the love of Christ for others, and as I move about my life in this city and world. It is one of the ways I can see myself becoming more like Jesus.

Photo Credit
Jordan Prins on 20 May 2023 in Paris, France.