The spiritual fruits embody everything good in life, and they form a composite view of Christ himself. We can produce these fruits only when we trust God and put Christ first in our lives. The fruits of the Spirit join each other to create God’s magnificent mosaic of love and strength.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23
These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, not our fruits. If we have the Spirit alive within us, that is, if we are true believers in Christ, we can bear these fruits. For those who bear these fruits, there is no law interfering with them. If we are constantly concerned only with ourselves, our success in life, and what others think of us, we are hardened to God and the operation of his Spirit.
We can change that. We can have the peaceful assurance our hearts desire. Seeking a course correction means walking by the Spirit and following his guidance. If we want to “feel different” after salvation, and if we want to “do something with” our Christianity, we must mind the things of the soul by living under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit brings out the new nature in us, as Paul explained:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Romans 8:1-5
When I look at the fruits of the Holy Spirit, I try not viewing them as unattainable ideals. Rather, I view them as what they can be in my life. The spiritual fruits embody everything good in life, and they form a composite view of Christ himself. To think we can produce them is wishful thinking.
We won’t get there by being virtuous, pleasant, intelligent, successful, or wealthy. We can produce these fruits only when we trust God and put Christ first in our lives. The fruits of the Spirit join each other to create God’s magnificent mosaic of love and strength.
It makes no sense at all chasing so many goals in life and never looking for a mind controlled by the Spirit.
