I was listening to my Bible app and the following was spoken. I thought it was just too good not to share it with fellow senders.
“As my friend, Michael Timmis, wrote to me, ‘The way I define love is by using the fruit of the Spirit, which starts with love. I believe that joy is love rejoicing, peace is love at rest, patience is love waiting, kindness is love interacting, goodness is love initiating, faithfulness is love keeping its word, gentleness is love empathizing, and self-control is love resisting temptation.’”
Let’s break it down:
Joy is love rejoicing.
Peace is love at rest.
Patience is love waiting.
Kindness is love interacting.
Goodness is love initiating.
Faithfulness is love keeping its word.
Gentleness is love empathizing.
Self-control is love resisting temptation.
So, I looked up each one of these words and found a few pretty amazing verses to encourage you with today.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
-Psalm 32:11 CSB
If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.
-Luke 10:6 NIV
And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
-Hebrews 6:15 NIV
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
-Hebrews 6:12 NIV
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
-Ephesians 4:32 NIV
He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the LORD ’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
- Exodus 33:19 CSB
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.
-Psalm 23:6 CSB
I will sing about the LORD’s faithful love forever; I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations with my mouth.
-Psalm 89:1 CSB
He will cover you with his feathers; you will take refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
-Psalm 91:4 CSB
Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
-James 3:13 CSB
What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
-1 Corinthians 4:21 CSB
But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
-2 Timothy 4:5 CSB
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Colossians 3:12 NIV
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:14 NIV
This final passage just felt like it brought it all together.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
-2 Peter 1:3-11 NIV
I hope you can see that each one of these fruits of the Spirit is something we can add into our daily lives. Our hearts were designed to grow these attributes I believe, and love is the fuel that keeps them flowing through our veins day after day. Love is the source, combined with a surrender heart to bend when challenging moments happen.
Love is active. There is movement attached to every loving act. This list above gives an earthly example of how to respond that I believe is the kingdom way. It’s a higher way of living. It’s not the easy way, it’s the narrow way. But, freedom comes when you surrender to the higher heart posture. You know you are growing and learning and doing heart things that’s making you better, purer, and more at peace within yourself and with others. It’s a slower pace, but this pace is laced with His mercy and grace.
There are no limits in the Spirit, so these benefits are without measurement. So, may joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control follow you all the days of your life. Amen and amen.
Until next time,
Keep gliding 🪁
Abiding 🙇🏼♀️
& Smiling 😁