Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control; against such things there is no law.
When we know there is a season for everything and we sow into that season, we not only grow but we show. We show the fruit of the spirit.
Love
Do we show the love of God to those around us? Not just those we naturally love but do we show love to our enemies? Matthew 5:44, ‘But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you’.
Joy
Proverbs 17:22 tells us that a joyful heart is good medicine. Whatever season we’re in, whether Summer or Winter, can we like Ezra say ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength’ (Nehemiah 8:10).
Peace
Do we do our best to live at peace with those around us? Romans 12:18 tells us to do our best to live peaceably with all men.
Patience
The Bible is full of verses on patience, love is patient, be still before the Lord and patiently wait on him, be patient in affliction and so on. Yet there is no greater example of patience than that of our Lord, who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy (Psalm 103:8).
Kindness
Are we kind people? Ephesians 4:32 tells us to ‘be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you’.
Goodness
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. Do we let this light shine before others that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven? (Ephesians chapter 5:16).
Faithfulness
We hold fast the confession of hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). We know God is faithful, but are we faithful to Him, to His house, to His people, and to our ministries?
Gentleness
Do we have gentle spirits or ones that cause strife and conflict? Titus 3:2 tells us to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
Self control
Do we discipline ourselves to live Godly lives, to keep God’s standards and to honour the one and only true and living God? God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and self control (2 Timothy 1:7). Without self control we are like a city broken into and left without walls (Proverbs 25:28).
It’s time for us as Christians to be fruitful, to rise up, and to reap and show the fruits of the spirit. The world around us so desperately needs the Lord. It’s up to us through the Holy Spirit to show them Jesus, to show them the cross and to show them the only way to heaven. How can we do this? We can start by living the fruits of the spirit...and that spirit is always in season!