Growing in The Fruit of the Spirit

To me, kindness and goodness seemed the same till I dated my dear wife 23 years ago.  She has a deep goodness harbored at the very base of her soul that is always with her. However, she is often not kind which is a kind of behavior in my usage. I have trouble with leaving goodness when frustrated. However, let’s not stop but grow in the fruit of the Spirit.

Now, if you look at the 9 fruit of the Spirit:

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control

I hear people say that the Spirit has all nine and lives within us. Thus, we should have all. I do not see that as a general rule. My wife (ENFJ) has love, joy and goodness always near at hand.  I usually have self control, patience, and kindness. Peace, gentleness and faithfulness we have learned some over time.  So, the people I meet. I like to invite over to meet my wife as well. It projects more of the fullness of God.

Through God’s power, I can at times show love and remarkably even gentleness. I cannot live in these unnatural virtues, and I am more American living here in China than distinctly Christian for example. My American individualism shows often while my God given gentleness may not.

Let’s Not Stop But Grow in the Fruit of the Spirit

I have the ‘gift’ of self control from my ESTJ personality type God gave me at birth. This does not appear to be a gift of the Spirit as it were. An aspect of humility I have clearly is not from me before I had faith.  My wife’s goodness also is from birth. Thus, we work as a team, and the body of Christ is shown.

I sense we as Christians have trouble hearing God well and receiving love and all else from Him. God has not moved. Culture keeps moving. God made all cultures and moved them to grow. He is not surprised that they change. He is with us in the China I live in and wherever you are.

Finally, God wants us to show more fruit over time. Let’s get there: not to prove we are great but to grow near to God and others. He is all for us and speaking to us every day.

“…against such things there is no law. “