20
Dec
The holidays may lead to many days of me putting too much pressure on myself.
Is my meal preparation chef worthy (and I’m not even a trained chef)?
And yet, the first Christmas, “self” may have been an issue too. I imagine Mary trying to be patient, as Joseph was trying to find a birthplace for the Messiah. If you know the story, you know eventually, they ran out of options. (Luke 2:1-7)
“Out of options” may also describe a situation we’re facing.
However, when I’m out of control, I’m all that matters. But self-control allows me to focus on what matters most to God.
Amazingly, He includes you and me.
Like He provided Mary and Joseph with a stable for Jesus to be born, God has a “stable” place for us too. As we submit to His grace, godly discipline leads to delight.
That’s where all the other fruit of the Spirit comes in.
Love, joy, peace, kindness, patience, goodness, gentleness and faithfulness are all a part of what knowing Him means.
We can enjoy as much of this fruit as we like.
“…against such things there is no law. ” (Galatians 5:23b ESV)
And yet, life will test our ability to resist whatever is against God’s will. The Holy Spirit is our Helper — whether we feel like our options are many or few.
Thankfully, we can rest in God’s grace through Christ, knowing He is in control of all things. (Colossians 1:6-20)
To read more posts in “The Fruit of the Spirit in Christmas” series go here.