Have you ever noticed that the more connected you are to the Vine, the more loving, joyful, peaceable, patient, kind, caring, faithful, gentle, and even-tempered you are?
If you’re reading this right now, then you’re in the right place. Have you ever heard those words before? In our modern-day society, we hear those words often, especially if we’re about to sit through a 90-minute webinar. I chuckled a little bit as I wrote this, but really. God knew that you would be here and for such a time as this. More now than ever, Jesus is calling us closer and urging us to remain connected and fruitful until He returns.
As Christians, we are called to grow and mature in our faith. One of the ways that we can continue growing strong and healthy in our faith is by staying ever so close to the Vine. Jesus tells us in John 15:1 and 4, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener…remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” Christian character is produced through the leading of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23 it states,
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Yet, how do we live it out practically in our day-to-day lives? And how do we grow in Christian character? Well, let’s take a closer look at these nine fruits of the Spirit to see how we can apply them to our everyday lives.
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1. Love
If you’ve ever wanted to grow in your love walk, take a moment to read and meditate on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
When I took a deep dive into this passage of scripture and really paused and pondered each line, I quickly realized that this is “love” in action.
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2. Joy
My friend, joy comes from the Holy Spirit. It’s supernatural. So, when your soul is cast down, pray and ask for your joy to be restored. Only God knows how to lift your spirit. I love the words of the Apostle Paul found in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace.”
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3. Peace
Well, that’s a perfect segue. Peace is another supernatural move of the Spirit. However, we can choose to be peaceable with others. Romans 12:18 encourages,
“If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.”
Living this way as it relates to growing in Christian character can look like being quiet when you want to tell someone a piece of your mind, share a negative opinion, or grumble against another. Choose to be peaceable.
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4. Patience
This is not an easy one and it comes in all forms. However, with scripture, prayer, and being still while we wait for God to move is key here. We can do this! God is always on time. And just remember, patience is a virtue.
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5. Kindness
This one is all about being friendly, warm, inviting, considerate, and thoughtful. It’s a close cousin to being gentle, which is what we will cover in just a moment.
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6. Goodness
But first, this beautiful life-giving fruit is about being the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s when we are being led by the Holy Spirit to do good in the earth. Psalm 37:3 says, “Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
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7. Faithfulness
Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to be faithful and remain faithful. Faithfulness is rooted in trust, endurance, perseverance, and loyalty. If you struggle in any of these areas, the Holy Spirit is faithful to help.
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8. Gentleness
This is the quality of being tender. This could mean being tender to touch and tone intentionally. For instance, as we encounter people, whether they are family, friends, or strangers, it’s good to consider our conversation and our touch. Is it tough or tender? Being gentle is walking in Christian character.
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9. Self-Control
This is all about controlling oneself. If you ever find yourself needing to control your tongue, thoughts, or actions, my encouragement would be to pray quickly by asking the Holy Spirit to help you practice the fruit of self-control at that moment. Another remedy to this is reading, studying, and meditating on verses ahead of time, so that you will be ready to reel in any uncontrolled emotions or actions.
We are not alone in the process. The Holy Spirit is within us to help us. In addition, when we stay close to the Vine, which is Jesus Christ, that’s when we have even more power to live out these beautiful attributes of God. And guess what else? It’s how others will know that we are His true disciples. Jesus confirms this truth in John 15:8, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples.” So, as we await the return of Christ, let’s stay connected and live fruitfully. This is how we grow in Christian character.
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Originally published Thursday, 18 July 2024.