Author: mary

Kindness has become a popular word in recent years. It seems like both the Christian world and the secular world use this word in everyday context. Kindness is important to the Christian because it is how we show others that we are thankful for the work that God has done in our own lives. Kindness can be the means by which the secular world measures our Christianity. If someone claims to know Christ but is not kind to those around them, then how will they know Jesus is living inside of that person? What are some ways you can show kindness everyday and give glory to God?

First, find little ways to care about others throughout your day. This can be done with a simple question about how they are doing, or a note sent to show someone you are thinking about them, or even finding ways to bless others through doing something for them. When we serve others, it helps us become selfless and focus on our great God even more. Another way to show kindness to others is through the words that you say. Unfortunately many Christians deny who Christ is by the words that come out of their mouths. We can be a testimony to what God has done in our lives if the words that we say are kind and gentle.

Kindness is a fruit of the spirit because it radiates the gospel. If the gospel is planted in your heart, kindness will pour out of your life. You will be known by the words you say and your actions, so make sure you show kindness to everyone around you. That is exactly what Jesus did and how He lived His life on earth.

What comes to mind when you think of the word patient? Do you think of someone sitting and waiting patiently for their turn? Do you think of a child waiting to get something they want? You probably don’t think about a man waiting fourteen years to marry his bride! That’s exactly what happened to Jacob in Genesis 29.

Jacob was captivated the moment he saw Rachel and knew she would be his bride. He soon struck a deal with her father, Laban, to marry her. He would work for seven years and then take her as his bride. Jacob worked hard for those years. However, on the evening of their wedding, Rachel’s dad tricked him and gave his oldest daughter Leah instead. So Jacob had to work for seven more years! It had to have been very difficult to wait and work, not knowing if Laban would deliver on his promise or trick him again. Jacob continued to wait on God and trust that He would provide. That’s exactly what God did. From Jacob came 12 sons (the twelve tribes of Israel). Eventually, Jesus would come from one of those tribes.

Patience is a difficult attribute. It requires trusting someone or something. For the Christian, it means placing your faith and trust in God. When you trust in Him, you are saying that you are going to rely on him for your next breath, your next decision, and the future. Jacob trusted God for many years, not just for a short time. Waiting is not always easy, and often requires a brokenness and a hope that trusts God knows what he’s doing. Patience is turning to God in the waiting, praying and crying out to Him, and praising Him no matter what.

There are many songs, books, and articles written about peace or finding peace. Some are based on circumstances, like “It Is Well,” when the author lost it his whole family, yet still knew peace because he knew God. Others are more recent praise songs like “Oceans” that talks about having peace in the midst of the storm. Then, there are secular songs that sing about finding world peace, peace instead of war, or finding inner peace in the midst of turmoil. Which kind of peace is the peace in Galatians five, the fruit of the spirit peace?

The peace that Galatians refers to is the peace that only God can give. This is a peace that is produced in us when we surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to lead us. This peace focuses on others rather than ourselves. It is not something we have to find, but something that finds us because of the Holy Spirit alive in us. This is the peace that passes all understanding as Philippians 4:7 states. This peace calms the raging storms in our lives and is evident to those around us when we are in the middle of devastating circumstances. It is infectious, causing others to want what we have. It brings people to Jesus. See the difference between the peace God gives and the peace the world is trying to offer? They can only offer a counterfeit version of the real thing. The world is desperately trying to find the peace that God gives.

Since God has produced peace in our lives, we can be the peace the world needs. When they look for peace, they should be able to see it in the lives of the believers around them. Search in your heart and see if you are allowing that peace to shine and bring others to the throne of God.

Joy is often confused with happiness, but they are very different emotions. Happiness is a temporary, fleeting feeling, while joy is a lasting, eternal emotion. Happiness comes and goes, while joy is planted deep in your heart and is there even when you don’t feel happy.

Joy becomes a permanent part of your life when you accept Christ as your Savior. It stays there in every situation. Joy causes you to look up in your circumstances and focus on the good, the right, and the eternal. The biggest difference between happiness and joy is that we don’t have to do anything to receive joy. For happiness to last, we have to constantly find reasons to be happy or do things that make us happy all the time. Happiness is based on us. However, God is the source who gives us joy. It is something He does, not anything we can do. Joy is the light at the end of the tunnel. Happiness has to look for reasons, while joy IS the reason!

Joy lifts you up when you’re down. Joy encourages others. Joy brings hope in a dark world. So think of a time when you’ve been happy. Maybe it was today. What were the circumstances surrounding your happy feeling? Most likely, they were temporary. Now, if you are a Christian, you should be able to think of a time when you experienced the joy God gives. Was it when you were saved? Was it when God answered your prayers? If you don’t know God, pray and ask for his salvation that brings permanent joy. It is a beautiful emotion. If you are redeemed, pray and ask Him to reveal His joy to you every single day.

Love can be an emotion that seems to mean something different to many people. To some, it is an intense feeling they have for someone else. For others, it comes with conditions (I love them because they do this for me). For the Christian, it means so much more.

Love is a word that originates from God. He created love. He gives love. He is love. The Christian understands that we only know how to love because God first loved us and taught us how to love. When the believer thinks of love, they think of 1 Corinthians 13 and all of the qualities love has. Love is patient, love is kind, etc. Love never fails. Love binds everything together in perfect unity. The ultimate picture of love was when God sent his one and only son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Sacrificial love is the greatest type of love.

So how can we love like God loves us? Love is unconditional. There are no limits or parameters to the love of God. Love is unfailing. It doesn’t quit when times get hard. It tries again. It is never-ending. Human love is temporary; God’s love is eternal. It is no accident that love is mentioned first in the fruit of the spirit. When you have Christ living inside of you and you are led by the Holy Spirit, the first fruit you will produce is love: love for your neighbor, love for yourself, and most of all, love for the Lord. So spend some time in prayer today about how you can love others and love God more intensely and intentionally. God is the source, so the only way to love better is to stay connected to the source!