Our first whisper from the summer told us things don’t always stay the same. In week 2, I shared how stillness is a posture of receiving. In week 3, summer rain brought a reminder. New challenges are new opportunities for us to release what’s beneath the surface of our lives and grow.

But in week 4 of the Joy to the Soul Summer series, let’s talk cuisine! Is there a food you give a thumbs up as the weather warms up? As the temperature climbs, I love fruit. Green grapes, cherries, and melons top the list. My non-fruit list is a bit longer. And yet, whichever foods our taste buds enjoy, the soul is looking for more.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT).

Obviously, this fruit is not edible. But, through faith in Christ, it is possible for these attributes to become a part of our character. I used to wonder how long it would take for my life to display this Fruit. But now I focus on communing with the Spirit, the Source of my transformation.

As a result, I’ve learned when love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are scarce in my life, there is little focus on who God is in my life.

But just like I must digest the best summer produce to get the benefits of its nutrients, consuming God’s word improves the health of my mind, body and soul. As we grow content in His care, there is peace. It’s the third fruit on the list.

But the need for fruitfulness in my life is the whisper I hear this week. Yet, there are dreams I want to come true in the next minute. There are concerns I want to vanish before I finish the next sentence.

You may also long to see the fulfillment of what is lacking in your life. But the whisper I hear is just as important as the urgency I have. While Galatians gives us the spiritual fruit, there is only one way to be fruitful. The Apostle Paul explained it this way to the Colossians.

“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better” (Colossians 1:9-10 NLT).

REFLECTION OR DISCUSSION: As you consider a goal you have this summer, how is it leading you “to know God better and better?”

Meet me here each week for more “Joy to the Soul Summer” reflections. Invite your friends to join you! The discussion question at the end of each post may be used for a journal prompt or group discussion. 

Read more “Joy to the Soul Summer” posts here.