The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  

- Galatians 5: 22-23

Have you ever considered the depths of God’s love, Jesus’s sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit’s power?

As we focus during February on love, it is usually that of human love, romantic love, and even the love between friends.

But as humans, we often struggle to maintain loving and kind relationships, acting selfishly.

So why is it hard to seek peace amid strife and stress? Why are those closest to us often the recipient of our worst behavior?

It’s because our human nature is often contrary to what God desires us to do.

Those who know us best are usually around us the most.

So, our interactions with them are more frequent, allowing us more time to hurt one another.

However, there is hope. God is always the same. His love and attributes never change. He is always loving, patient, joyful, just, merciful, good, kind, and gentle.

The beauty of a relationship with Jesus is that the more we get to know Him and appreciate His sacrifice, the more our lives are changed to reflect His heart. And as God’s children, we are given His Holy Spirit to guide our actions and words.

So many times in the Bible, we are given promises that contradict the world’s standards. By earthly terms, we typically think of being blessed as having something, someone, or some measure. But the Bible tells us it is having joy in Christ and following His ways—despite our circumstances.

As we seek God’s ways, our hearts and minds are transformed to be more like Him and less like the world. So today, ask God to direct your heart to Him. Then, ask Him to empower you to react and act in a way honoring to Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for giving yourself for me. Please help me to be more like you each day. Amen.

With Love,
Sherry Shepherd