DO YOU WANT MORE FULFILLMENT AS A CHRISTIAN?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such
things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by
the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become
conceited, provoking and envying each other.
(Galatians 5:22-26)

MEDITATION:
The scriptures clearly tell us that certain qualities should be
evident in the lives of believers if we are ‘living by the Spirit’.
These qualities are referred to as the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ and
includes the following characteristics:
    Love
        (affectionate; concern for others; benevolent; devotion to spouse;
          seeks ways to encourage others; self-denying; looks for the good
          in others; self-sacrificing)
    Joy
        (pleasurable to be around; rejoices in the Lord; delightful; happy;
          optimistic)
    Peace
        (calm; not quarrelsome; tranquil; quiet; suppresses anger;
          absorbs hurtful things from others; depends on the Lord)
    Forbearance
        (patiently endures; tolerates the things others do which
          frustrate or hurt them; doesn’t seek to retaliate)
    Kindness
        (gentle; mild; moderate; worthy of love and affection;
          desires to encourage and lift the spirits of others)
    Goodness
        (commendable; honest; respectable; affectionate; seeks ways to surprise
          others in positive and favorable ways; looks past the faults of others
          and focuses on their good qualities; shows love in action)
    Faithfulness
        (loyal; trustworthy; depends on the Lord; committed to serve the
          Lord using the spiritual gifts he or she has received from the Lord)
    Gentleness
        (meek; confident but not arrogant or weak; has a controlled strength;
          has a genuine concern for others)
    Self-control
        (restrains impulses, emotions or desires; composed; disciplined
          has an attitude governed by the Holy Spirit and not by man’s definition
          of what is right and wrong; doesn’t seek revenge when hurt by others)

They describe someone who:
    – Has genuine concerns for others ahead of themselves.
        (realizes that when we have struggles, others do too,
         so they look for ways to encourage others even when
         they are not being encouraged themselves).
    – Confident and committed to following the One they believe in.
    – At peace with themselves. and with the Lord (the Prince of peace).
    – Knows how to appreciate and enjoy life because
        their life is centered on the Lord’s will for their life.
    – Kind, compassionate, and has a desire
        to encourage and lift the spirits of others.
    – Is confident that the Lord will provide for their needs.

Doesn’t that sound like the kind of person you would like to have
as a friend? Isn’t that the kind of friend you would like to be to
others?

Paul tells us that these qualities are natural byproducts of those
who “belong to Jesus Christ”. These characteristics are not in
obedience to some written laws of man, but they are seen in a
person who has made a conscious decision to take off the old
‘self’ and put on a new ‘self’ of righteousness and holiness
(which is what we are told to do in God’s Word).
    You were taught, with regard to your former way of life,
    to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
    deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your
    minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God
    in true righteousness and holiness.
    (Ephesians 4:22-24)

A person with these qualities has surrendered to Christ and His will
for their life. It is an outward expression of an inward experience the
person received when God saved them. They didn’t receive a new life
controlled by the Spirit, and ‘take back’ control from the Spirit and
start living by their own guidelines. They know the value of the Spirit’s
control of their life and embrace His presence with gladness, not with
rebellion.

Paul also tells us that our new life should be reflected in our relationships
with others. We should never attempt to glorify ourselves, nor should we
irritate others. When we see an outpouring of God’s blessings on others
we should be excited for them; we should be able to enjoy the success of
others as opposed to being jealous or envious.

ACTION:
Questions to ask ourselves:
    – Are these ‘fruit of the Spirit’ qualities evident in my life?
          – If so, then I know about the joy of
             believing in and serving the Lord.
          – If not, then which ones are missing, and what’s
             preventing them from being a part of my life?
    – What changes am I making to develop these missing qualities?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me a description
of the characteristics that define the people who believe in
You, and have a sincere desire to serve You. Forgive me if
I have fallen short of any of these qualities in my own life,
and it’s causing me to miss out on enjoying more fulfillment
as a follower of Jesus. My desire is to obey Your will and
to please You, instead of seeking my own will. I trust You
implicitly, because I believe in You, the Holy Spirit, and
Your Son, Jesus Christ.”

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