Slowly read through the fruit of the Spirit. If someone were to describe you, which words would they use? Would the people who know you best use none of these words, some of these words, or most of these words? Those who belong to Jesus should be growing in these characteristics. Of course, it is the fruit of the Spirit and not our own doing, but that does not mean this is passive.

Galatians 5:24 says, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” We have an active role to play in our progress and growth. It’s a lot like our physical health. We are dependent upon our internal systems to process and distribute the nutrients in our food. There is nothing we actively do to bring those results about, but we can control and determine our diet. Spiritually, we need God’s Spirit to do the work of making us healthy and grow us, but we have a responsibility to be attentive to what we are feeding our souls with and to remove the toxic, sinful things we put into our hearts and minds.

What do you need to stop doing or start doing in order to grow in the fruit of the Spirit?