"But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control; against such things, there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23 You might have noticed we're taking our time in this series of posts (here are our devotions on love, joy, and peace, in case you missed them). Why are we spending so much time talking about the fruit of the spirit? Be patient (joke intended). These are the fruit everyone who believes in Jesus Christ should desire, and they are not fruit that you or I could develop on our own. The Fruit of the Spirit is produced through the Spirit only, and so we must seek to submit to Him that He may bear it within us. Patience is not something we come by naturally. It's something that, especially in the age where we have computers in our pockets that give us every answer we want right away, depending on the service we have, is even harder to come by. We have microwaves, speed limits of 70-80 miles an hour, shop online, roadside pickup, and so many things tailored to our convenience. Is it any wonder we're so impatient? Yet we miss the fact that, in little ways, every day, the Holy Spirit is shaping and changing us, as a master stone worker chips and chisels a little at a time, shaping us in to a vessel for use in the Father's house. Many reading this will wonder "Where is my fruit? Where is that Spiritual fruit that I'm supposed to produce?" one of that facets of the fruit of the Spirit is patience. Patience is learning to be still and to wait. Often times, we're our own worst critics. We look at the word, or other Christians (hopefully we're looking to Jesus, the most), and we see how we do not measure up to what God has outlined. It's FRUSTRATING! As a matter of fact, it's difficult to see if we've made any progress at all. Of course, we forget something: we're judging ourselves, and not looking at what the Lord has done already. It is time, then, to stop and breathe. To spend time, daily, with the Father, in prayer and in His word, to seek Him out in everything we do. We need to Stop judging ourselves, but seek, instead, to be transformed by the word of God through His Holy Spirit. Be patient, my brothers and sisters, this is not our fruit to produce! The Holy Spirit has been doing this since the beginning. If He can transform fishermen in to Apostles, imagine what He can do for you! Slow Down, stop looking at others, and look to God and His word, compare yourself to Christ, and stand on His promises, and the Holy Spirit will lead you to patience!
Romans 8 English Standard Version (ESV)
Life in the Spirit
8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.[a] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you[b] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,[c] he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus[d] from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Heirs with Christ
12 So then, brothers,[e] we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons[f] of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Future Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[g] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[h] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
God's Everlasting Love
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[i] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[j] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 8:1 Some manuscripts add who walk not according to the flesh (but according to the Spirit)
b. Romans 8:2 Some manuscripts me
c. Romans 8:3 Or and as a sin offering
d. Romans 8:11 Some manuscripts lack Jesus
e. Romans 8:12 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 29
f. Romans 8:14 See discussion on “sons” in the Preface
g. Romans 8:27 Or that
h. Romans 8:28 Some manuscripts God works all things together for good, or God works in all things for the good
i. Romans 8:31 Or who is
