Summer School: “Freedom in Christ” — Wednesday
Galatians 5:22-24
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (NIV)
I am a notorious plant killer. Anything leafy and anything green, I can guarantee you I will eventually kill one day or another. My house is filled with plants crying out for me to water them, but I know that, in my negligence, I won’t water them for at least another few weeks until their leaves look decidedly droopy and brown.
A few weeks ago, we had our middle school and high school girls plant zinnia flower seeds in little pots as part of a devo exercise. I also had the opportunity to plant a few seeds of my own. The entire time I was putting them into my tiny clay pot, I kept telling myself, “These flowers will BLOOM.” Every day since then, I’ve made it a priority to place the seeds in sunlight, water them, and check on them every day. Fast forward a few weeks, and there are now small stems growing up toward the sunlight. When I noticed them the other day, I was pumped. Although it has taken time, care, and consistent effort, the flowers are growing.
Good things take time. In the same way, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives takes time to grow. When we have freedom in Christ, the “soil” in our hearts is tilled so that the seeds of this fruit can grow. We won’t see immediate results. But as we continue to walk closely with Jesus, allowing Him to tend the soil, we will start to see fruit. Unlike an actual plant or flower that requires our own efforts and “power” to help it grow (a.k.a. watering it, making sure it’s kept in sunlight, etc.), the fruit of the Spirit is not a byproduct of our striving. Fruit grows out of the freedom we have in Jesus. So today and every day, rest in His power and His redemption in your life because of His sacrifice for you.
Wednesday’s Reflection
Ask Jesus to draw near to you today and help you look more like Him. Surrender any of your own efforts to Him, and allow Him to take the lead.