What Comes Out Of YOU When You’re SQUEEZED?

• You get cut…blood comes out.
• You squeeze a tube of toothpaste…toothpaste comes out.
• You wash a load of clothes…dirt comes out.

Here’s the first step in allowing God to determine and animate what comes out when life squeezes us: Recognize our INADEQUACY without God. Otherwise, we will be tempted to play BOSS and try to control–on our own–what comes out of us. And that never turns out well.
  
What comes out of a Christian when squeezed by the trials of life demonstrates our joy. Our depth of faith. What people watching our life see is inside us. And our joy and depth of FAITH determines what comes OUT of us when we are squeezed by life.
  
We know what to do–emulate Christ—but how do we build those muscles in advance of being squeezed is the real question for every believer. There is no better model to follow than the nine fruits of the spirit Paul teaches us in the book of Galatians.
  
“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.” Galatians 5:22-23
  
That’s the FOUNDATION of what Christians should want to come out of them when life tightens its vise-like grip. But it’s important to build another wing onto God’s sturdy foundation. It’s what he would want to see LESS of coming out of us when we are squeezed. For me, it’s the SAME list I used in yesterday’s blog on having a CURIOUS FAITH. First, what we want to see “MORE of” coming out of us (God’s Fruits); and then what God would like to see “LESS of” coming out of us when life squeezes in:
  
More GENTLENESS
  
More GOODNESS
  
More PEACE
  
More JOY.
  
More KINDNESS.
  
More LOVE.
  
More PATIENCE.
  
More SELF-CONTROL.
  
More FAITH.
  
Less JUDGING.
  
Less WORRY.
  
Less ANGER.
  
Less IMMATURITY.
  
Less ANXIETY.
  
Less EGO.
  
Less FEAR.
  
Less WORRY.
  
Less SELFISHNESS.
  
This is the foundation that keeps us from scrambling to find a response when life squeezes. It keeps us from trying to be the architect of our response because doing that puts us in the role of BOSS. And we don’t stand a chance playing BOSS.
  
I thank God for showing me that my character is ultimately measured by the spiritual fruit that I bear. I ask him to help me exhibit all the fruits of his Holy Spirit so that my character will be a Christ-like example for others and bring honor and glory to him.
  
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
  
Are the fruits of the spirit in your DNA? What comes out of you when life squeezes tight?
  
“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.” Galatians 5:22-23