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Presented by Lisa Bishop
Are you living a transformed life in Jesus Christ?
The other day I was at my mom’s house. We got into a bit of a disagreement about something. We didn’t see eye to eye. She asked if we could talk to which I obliged but I am sorry to say that I became a bit impatient in the conversation. I reacted from my flesh and not in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I’m guessing you can relate.
Galatians 5:22-23 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
The Holy Spirit kindly convicted me that I was not bearing much fruit in my response to my mom. He kindly and gently reminded me what it looks like to live from my identity in Christ. You and I are made in God’s image and his number one priority as followers of Jesus is to make us more like him. To radically transform us into his likeness. It reminds me of growing up as a kid, I looked a lot like my dad. People would always comment on how much I resembled my father. We had a lot of the same features; people knew I was my dad’s daughter. As a son or daughter of Jesus, you are meant to look like him, which means that when people see you and interact with you, they will encounter Jesus in your words, attitudes, behavior and responses.
I certainly did not take the opportunity to reflect Jesus with my mom. There will be times that you and I will miss the mark in our interactions with people because transformation is a process. A process of becoming who you already are in Christ. The important thing to consider is this. Are you making it your aim to grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus?
An increase of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life is evidence of spiritual growth and maturity. Where old patterns of reacting will be broken and an increase of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control will flow from you.
I am a work in progress and so are you. God knows that and he wants to help you as you grow in reflecting him. Remember what Romans 8:26 says, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.”
What fruit of the Spirit is God inviting you to grow in? Take a look at the past few interactions you have had with people in your life. What flesh response does the Holy Spirit want to transform into a fruit response? Confess where you are falling short and ask God for help as you become more like him.