Fruits of the spirit
By stacyv81
@stacyv81 (5903)
United States
June 30, 2007 7:12pm CST
Ok, this is geared towards those who believe in the bible, or are open to this sort of thing....please no bashing!
"The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control." Galations 5:22-23
Do you try to remind yourself of these on a daily basis? Are these standards you try to live up to? I mean, religion aside, it isnt that bad of a scripture for anyone or everyone to try to hold themselves to. What do you think?
5 people like this
15 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
1 Jul 07
I do not remind myself of these daily, but I do trust God to grow them in me. The fruit of the spirit is something that comes of our relationship with Jesus, not something we can create within ourselves. They are not goals, but promises. Think about it.
I've heard it explained this way: Have you ever seen an apple tree getting all worked up or trying very hard to make apples? No. It happens naturally, as the apple tree grows. It's an apple tree, so it produces apples.
When we grow in Christ, the fruit of the spirit will be produced in us because that is the natural outcome of our relationship with Him.
1 person likes this
@craftwave (1338)
• United States
1 Jul 07
Like all fruit the fruit of the Spirit is not something we aspire to but is the result of right living. When a fruit tree or bush is taken care of properly it bares good fruit. The same goes in our walk with the Lord. When we follow His teachings we bear good fruit hence the fruit of the Spirit becomes evident in your life. There is another scripture that says we shall be known by our fruit. When I first became a Christian I thought I needed to do the fruits of the Spirit but as I grew in my walk with the Lord I came to understand that these fruits are not something I do but they show up in my life when I obey God. How do you do peace? That only comes by having a close relationship with the Lord. All fruits of the Spirit comes by having a personal relationship with the Lord. Others can see these fruits in your life just by the way you deal with everyday things and also when a crisi hits. I know this to be true personally. I was once asked how I had such peace during several tumultuous times. When you not only walk and talk with the Lord but you trust Him in all things then your life will display the fruits of the spirit.
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
1 Jul 07
I don't remind myself of these daily and perhaps I should. I try to be kind and good in whatever I do and to treat others how I would like to be treated. The one I have a lot of trouble in is self-control as I tend to get moody easily and often hurt those around me (sometimes for no reason at all). I am quick tempered and am learning to try to control this and see things differently instead of reacting like I do sometimes.
Most definitely worth remembering and focussing on daily the fruits of the spirit.
1 person likes this
@DanaMark (807)
• United States
1 Jul 07
The fruits of the Spirit are good things to try to do, but that is not the meaning of "fruit." Fruit is something that is naturally produced from a plant. So the fruits of the Spirit are naturally produced in the life of someone within whom the Spirit resides. We can strive to live by these fruits, but a more productive method is to pray to be more filled with the Spirit so those fruits will continue to grow in us. That will keep us aware of those fruits that should be produced in us. When we do not see these fruits growing in us, we need to pray more for the Spirit to fill us so the good fruits will grow.
This was a good discussion to start!
@Jemina (5770)
•
1 Jul 07
This is a very good discussion indeed. I am a quick tempered woman especially when it's the time of the month and I get untouchable and I think I must bear this verse in mind. As a matter of fact last night I had a dream where I just blew my top. I went to inquire in a hotel and the receptionists were not friendly and accommodating so I yelled at them. Embarrassing indeed I'm glad it was just a dream. So thank you for posting this discussion. Now I have to think about self-control all the time.
@jadona2006 (84)
• United States
2 Jul 07
Hello Stacyv81,
The fruits of the spirit are of great value in our life today. Think about it Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, mercy, and self control. Out of all these I try to practice all of them but the one I try the hardest at is Love. Why?
Because if I have love, I believe that the other fruits of the spirit will follow. If we love, we will be patient and kind and merciful, and gentle, and we will have self control and be longsuffering toward all. Love covers a lot of things. Love that comes from our hearts from knowing God, that is what
will help us to display these qualities or fruits. Love for God is what allows us to have and know what it truly means to love God and neighbor. Without the love for God, it is hard to love others, because we have love because God is love. 1 John 4:8.
Take care,
Jadona2006
@saralee1 (1983)
• United States
1 Jul 07
There are many things in the bible I love. I think a great deal of wisdom comes out of it. But, there is also stuff I take with a grain of salt, because of circumstances.
Sometimes people think those who follow the bible 100% are a push over. And, this sets you up to being taken advantage of.
so, that is not cool.
@Savvynlady (3684)
• United States
1 Jul 07
I feel that these fruits are something to work towards. There are standards that any person should want and attain. So no, it isn't bad for a person to work on at all.
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
1 Jul 07
This is character-building in us. God has a very different way, and wants us to follow it. Since we can't, the Spirit grows us up, cleans us up, and makes good ('fruit') come from us, in the manner of Jesus Christ.
Each person in the Spirit has a different share of each fruit, and each fruit has a different shape in each person -- but all the fruit will show themselves in each Christian as he or she goes deeper into their walk with the Spirit.
You may want took at this...
http://www.faithflashes.com/fruit.htm
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
1 Jul 07
the last sentence may have been read 'you may want to look at this...'
sorry for the error.
@Amstardam (1348)
• United States
1 Jul 07
I used to pray over that scripture everyday. I wanted to be a person that exemplifies all of those characteristics. Not because I'm required to, but because I want to be. I think every religion has a code of conduct. If every one lived up to that standard the world would be a much better place! :)
Once I learned a fruit of the spirit song at summer camp, "ooooh, the fruit of the spirits not a coconut. the fruit of the spirits not a coconut, if you wanna be a coconut you might as well hear it, you can't be a fruit of the spirit because the fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self contorl."
And you go on to add an orange, pomegrante, and chocolate bar! Ha...yeah, anyway it was a fun way to memorize the fruits of the spirit!
@OLANREWAJU7 (41)
•
1 Jul 07
to tell you the truth I will like to think that I hold myself against these standards on a daily basis but I truly don't as much as I would love to. I do believe that we should daily examine ourselves against the standards set by God but the truth is we are not of ourselves able to live to those standards unless God himself helps us. In other words, we don't have what it takes outside of GOD to live in love, joy peace patience e.t.c but when we rely on God he will make it possible through us to be more like him...that's what I believe.
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
1 Jul 07
Absolutely. Actually, you can stop with the first one and the last one and the rest will take care of themselves.
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