“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Gal 5:22-23 (NIV)
In my journey of walking with God over the past twenty-nine years, I have discovered that God will focus on the fruit of the Spirit in your life that is most neglected. Whichever fruit of the Spirit you are least evidencing is the fruit that God will seek to develop in you through the university of adversity. I’ve taken many courses in that particular university.
If you lack the fruit of the Spirit, love, then God will allow difficult people to come into your life in order to give you opportunities to develop that specific fruit of the Spirit. If you lack patience, God will allow trying circumstances to come into the domain of your daily life in order to produce patience in you. That’s why I never ask anyone to pray that God would give me patience. If you lack gentleness, God will orchestrate situations which will give you relational opportunities to develop that particular fruit of the Spirit.
In all things God works for your good (Romans 8:28) and God’s goal for your life is conformity to Christ (Romans 8:29). Anything in your life that doesn’t look like Christ will be removed through God’s loving hammer and chisel of adversity. Don’t be surprised by the adversity God allows into your path. God is building you into a portrait of His grace. Christlikeness is God’s goal for your life!
So how do you look? Do you look like Christ? Is there any attitude or behavior that is not Christlike? Are you drifting from God or drawing near to God? Is the fruit of the Spirit evident in your conversation and your conduct?
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor