I recently read this book by Elizabeth George and liked it. It's about growing in the fruit of the spirit and I loved the descriptions and applications she used.Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
When she talked about these fruits she split them up into attitudes (love, joy, and peace), actions (patience, kindness, and goodness) and applications (faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). But first what does it mean to walk in the spirit? On p.14 she says "In simple terms, walking by the Spirit means living each moment in submission to God. Walking by the Spirit means seeking to please Him with the thoughts we choose to think, the words we choose to say, and the actions we choose to take. And walking by the Spirit means letting Him guide us each step of the way. It's letting Him work within us so that we can bring glory to God." We can't do this without spending time in God's word and spending time in prayer.
I most enjoyed reading about peace and patience. There are other facets of peace but when I think of it I think of being without conflict or strife. Accepting God's sovereignty is one way that I have felt peace. God is completely in control and anything that happens has been allowed by Him. We can be crabby, annoyed, and frustrated by things in life or we can remember that God is in control and allowed it. A hypothetical situation that comes to mind is if you try a new church and have a bad experience. Maybe the the people aren't welcoming or you feel a bit ignored. So you go on to a different church - it's wonderful and becomes your church home. If God intended for that to be your home church and your spiritual growth flourishes there, don't you think that maybe He allowed for the bad experience at the first church because that's not where He wanted you to be? If that's the case, there is no reason then to complain about that church and harbor bad feelings about it. God meant it for good. Move on! And I bet you'll have a peace that you wouldn't have had otherwise.
The description Elizabeth George uses for patience is doing nothing. The phlegmatic in me loved this because I can totally do that! She says if you want to walk in patience when you've been hurt, wronged, or ill treated, do nothing! Instead of reacting and doing something outwardly negative and harmful and sinful, inwardly resist in patience. Doing nothing gives you and me time (even a second) to do something - to pray, to reflect, and to plan to respond in a righteous manner. Oh how many times I wish I would have had the wisdom to have done (or said) nothing. It's so much easier to react. Especially with children!
Peace and patience are fruits (results) of the spirit but are also things God tells us to do. We can't have peace or patience unless we work at it.
Colossians 3:12
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience
Psalm 34:14
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
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