the greenest grass around

You will know a leopard by its spots. As Christians we are called to look different from this world. Practicing the Fruit of the Spirit will help us look for like Christ to others.

Let me say this again… Having these qualities, truly having these qualities, is tough. 

We can strive every day to act out each of these, and that devil knows where to hang out. One of the main reasons I began writing about the Fruit of the Spirit is because I knew I needed to work on these desperately. 

As we wrap up our Fruit of the Spirit study, I want to recap. 

Love, Joy, and Peace are our inner attitudes and thoughts. Our relationship with God binds these in our lives and provides us with a Godly outlook toward others. 

Patience, Kindness, and Goodness are qualities we express toward others. When we apply the first three Fruits, we are more patient, kind, and good toward others, like Jesus. 

Lastly, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control are personal qualities that guide our thoughts and actions. 

Personally, I find that the closer I am to God, the more I am aware of my thoughts and actions, which leads me to have more Fruits of the Spirit in my life. Is it easy, no. But it is necessary.

So, let’s finish this up with faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. 

Faithfulness 

Faithfulness is enduring loyalty and trustworthiness toward God and his plans. 

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:21

When I think of Godly examples of Faithfulness in the Bible, Abraham is my number one. The amount of faith in God that he had is mind-blowing to me. Just the idea that God told him he had a plan for his life, then gave him no details, no directions, nothing. But Abraham still completely trusted God and believed in his promise. He is a prime example of completely trusting (putting your faith) in God. 

I do not know how Abraham had so much complete faith in God. Despite so many trials and seemingly impossible promises, he kept his faith and trust in God. 

God never promised that your life would be easy or that you would have a road map like your GPS that tells you exactly where you are going and if you missed your turn. He promises that if you trust in him, he will be with you. We grow closer to him in times of unclarity when we choose to trust him. Yes, it is a choice. When we go through a messy season of life but choose to praise him, we are faithful. When we choose to be still and wait for him, we are faithful. 

Faithfulness is believing that God is who he says he is. We trust in him and his promises, not what we can see or make sense of in our earthly minds when we choose to trust that he will work out everything for the good of those who trust in him. It is hard. It’s hard when we are struggling with pain and suffering. It’s hard to take God at his word when bad things happen. But when these valleys come into your life, it is a chance to choose to say yes to God. It’s a time to grow closer and be the witness someone else needs to see. 

Is it hard? Oh boy, yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. 

I hope that you will read through the story of Abraham and count the times he was completely faithful to God. (Genesis 11-25) Be reflective when trials come into your life and choose to trust in him openly. 

Gentleness or Meekness

Meekness and humility – the power to control your actions 

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” Philippians 4:5

Let’s go ahead and be honest with ourselves; this is another tough one. At least, it is for me. It is so easy to think more highly of ourselves than we should. This is one of my daily prayers, that God help me to remain humble and not prideful.  

Gentleness is closely related to humility. Gentleness or meekness is not a weakness. It is a strength under our self-control. We can also think of this as the opposite of self-interest or aggressiveness. (This can also be linked to patience Fruit from the last post.)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unit of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Eph 4:2-3

Gentleness is not a weakness. It is a strength. In society today, we view gentleness as a lesser quality. But it is not. It is actually a strong characteristic. Not everyone has the self-reflection or self-control to realize that gentleness is an amazing attribute or that they are lacking in that area. In a world where we believe “every man for himself” or “it’s a dog-eat-dog world,” the quality of gentleness is desperately needed. 

Your attitude should be the same as Jesus Christ’s. We may fall short, but this is what we should strive for in our lives. 

Jesus- your king comes to you gently riding on a donkey. Let’s look at Matthew 21:5. See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” 

Remember, Jesus knew what was about to happen. Knowing about the suffering he was about to endure, he rode a baby donkey gently to his death. That is not the image we think of when we think of a king. But Jesus chose to be gentle and submit to his father’s plan for salvation. That is one of the best, if not the best, examples of gentleness I can think of. 

James 3:17- 18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is, first of all, pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. 

It is my prayer that you and I will be peacemakers and gentle spirits this week. When we realize that we are going down the wrong path, God will be an example and gently remind us to choose humility and gentleness. 

Self-Control

Self-control is a consequence of who we are. It is also known as self-resistance, endurance, and the ability to refrain from inappropriate passions and desires. 

The last characteristic that Paul gives us as a Fruit of the Spirit goes back to our choices. We can trace these back to Galatians 5:19-21, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the likes. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 

Now, some of these are more “obvious” than others. But we need to realize that even small things like envy and discord are acts of the flesh. We tend to brush these off as small things, but when we let them get out of hand, they lead down a path of destruction. And don’t forget, that is exactly what the devil wants. 

The closer we are to God, praying and in his word, the more likely we are to be able to have self-control. We may not be able to control ourselves with our human desires, but with God, all things are possible. 

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

We as Christians need to have self-control because the devil is real and out to attack us when we are weak. Like a city, we have to have defenses; we need to build a wall around us (God) so that the devil does not stand a chance. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds that, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Again, the closer you are to God, the more resistance you will have against the devil. Self-control is a gift. You must nurture it and practice it. It, just like the rest of the Fruits, will not come overnight. They will only come with a close walk with God, patience, and practice. 

I hope you learned something you could apply from our study on the Fruits of the Spirit. My prayer is that you will reflect and see where you need to focus your energy. Pray daily for God to guide you and provide for you. Remember, these are not things we will gain overnight. They take work, dedication, and a lot of prayers. But with God, all things are possible. 

-Ashley