One of the things you've probably heard more than once in your life is the phrase, "You're not the boss of me!" And yet, as much as we bucked against others controlling us, in all our bluster for being in control of ourselves, we often demonstrate an incredible lack of self-control. We to wrench control away from those who may have our best interests at heart (or maybe don’t!) in the guise of self-mastery, and we readily give control of ourselves to many other things that seek to destroy both body & soul. We’re not controlling ourselves … we’re just exchanging one master for another.

#FruitOfTheSpirit #selfCONTROL #HarderThanItLooks #TamingTheBeastWithin

There are various virtues that many of us aspire to obtain or develop. Courage, determination, justice, wisdom, and the like all usually top the list. However, one of the virtues that is integral to the Christian life is often forgotten - or even derided. If we're really honest, not many of us aspire to be the gentlest person we know.

But at the same time, we want God (and others!) to be gentle with us. We want mercy, want a soft word rather than a harsh one, want comfort when we're hurting. So why is it that we yearn for this gentleness while being reluctant to pursue it in our lives? And if we're really, really honest, we might even admit that we look down when others are gentle with those who we've deemed worthy of the hammer.

#FruitOfTheSpirit #GENTLENESS #Humble #StrongHandsSoftTouch

Faith is a key component of any religious tradition, especially for those who see to follow after Jesus. But what do we mean by faith? Do we mean blind, reckless belief? Do we mean strict adherence to moral codes? Or do we mean some kind of amorphous, unnamed feeling of religiosity that wells up within us at different times? The true nature of faith touches into each of these categories, but centers on something much deeper - or, rather, it should. Healthy faith cannot occur in a vacuum. While deeply personal, it is never individualistic.

#FruitOfTheSpirit #FAITHFULNESS #SeenBeforeHeard #FeltBeforeEmbraced

Am I good enough? It may be an awkward question, especially out of context, but it's one that most of us wrestle with more often than we might like to admit - we wrestle with thoughts of our performance, worth, value, and significance, constantly evaluating (even if not consciously) if we've made the mark.

For the Jesus-following person - that's where real hope can spring forth. Jesus offers to make us good enough, not based on our merits, but on His. He offers HIS goodness to us, securing our forever home with God on HIS credentials. For us, it's a simple act of faith that unlocks eternity for us.

And yet, the life of a Christian is also one that is to be radically marked by goodness on our part, a response to His goodness. For us, the question changes from How can I be good enough? to How can I share the goodness of Jesus with others since He's given me His own?

#FruitOfTheSpirit #GOONESS #NeverEnough #AlreadyEnough

If you've ever raised kids (or been responsible for them for more than 5 minutes), you've also said something akin to "Be nice to your sister!" many, many times over. It's a twofold theological reality that spills over into our everyday lives: 1) humanity really IS broken by sin and 2) we innately know that treating others with kindness is something we should do simply because that is what any human deserves. Kindness (though nice) is hard to do and can be dangerous to us. And yet we're called to do that very thing - the hard work of kindness - and brave the dangers that accompany it.

#FruitOfTheSpirit #KINDNESS #MoreThanBeingNice

In each of our lives, it would probably be very safe to say that we all lack one particular thing, to one degree or another - patience. And it’s not because we don’t see the value in patience, but it’s because it’s so easy to lose it along the way of life. But what if patience itself wasn’t the thing to pursue, but rather the culmination of pursuing other virtues and practicing those? Maybe then we’d all find it a little easier to be patient in very impatient times.

#FruitOfTheSpirit #PATIENCE #VIRTUE

Across the vast expanse of human experience, from the moments just after the dawn of time through our very own days, humanity has found itself embroiled in chaos, destruction, and war, which makes us yearn for peace … but maybe peace is more than just the stopping of hostilities. And maybe - just maybe - we’re destined to be an integral part of the peace that our souls long for and that God decreed for us.

#FruitOfTheSpirit #PEACE #LIFE

It’s easy to think back to happy memories, to times when things are going well and we’re enjoying ourselves. Unfortunately, those memories and feelings can be oft so fleeting, overshadowed by the pain and struggle and weight of this life. But what if there was a way to transcend this vacillating roller-coaster between happiness and pain? And what if it were available to all of us, all the time?

#FruitOfTheSpirit #JOY # HOPE

What we do reflects - in one way or another - who we are and what we truly believe. Jesus Himself shared a parable where He taught us that we recognize what kind of tree something is by the fruit that it bears. In the Bible book of Galatians, we learn that the primary “fruit” in the life of a Jesus-follower is love. In fact, the truth is that we simply cannot be Christian if we do not love.

#FruitOfTheSpirit #LOVE