Juicy Fruit

“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.” Galatians 5:22-23

“Are the fruits in your life of the Holy Spirit, or are they of the world? If you have Jesus Christ, they should be of Him. You should be so joyful people around you wonder what you have! Or better yet, Who you have,” Pastor Dan smiled as he looked around at the congregation. I was sitting in church, caught in his sermon. What he was saying was really tugging at my heart. I haven’t been the most “joyful” person lately, let alone all those other fruits of the Spirit. “'But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law,'” Pastor Dan read Galatians 5:22-23 again. Did Jesus have control over my life? Or...“Am I trying to take control over my life and what I do with it? Am I trying to take control of my day?” Pastor Dan said it right as I was thinking it. “It’s something good to think about when you’re having a bad day, because most of the time you haven’t given God the driver’s seat, you haven’t let Him take over your day. If you try to take control of your life, you won’t get anywhere,” Pastor Dan continued. “Take it from a person with experience. I used to think I could get through life without Christ. I used to think I didn’t need Him, and that I had gotten along just fine without Him. But it was when I came to realize that I had taken control over my life, and I was literally getting nowhere, that I came to Jesus.” I was surprised at that. For some reason I had never thought about him becoming a Christian. I had just thought he was always as strong a Christian as he is now.
“And of course I still struggle with the fruits of the Spirit. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t. But Christ will help us show His light onto others, but we need to be willing to do so, and we need to be willing to let HIM lead our lives,” Pastor Dan closed the sermon.
After church was over, I went home and looked up Galatians chapter 5 for myself. Verses 22-23 showed the fruits of the Spirit. I went through them and thought about myself, personally.
Do I show love to others?
Am I joyful around others, showing them Who I have-Jesus Christ?
Am I peaceful in times of trouble and trials?
Am I patient, even with something as little as waiting at a red light?
Am I kind and good towards others?
Am I faithful, in everything I do…? Do I have faith? Am I faithful to God? Wow. That really got to me. AM I faithful to God?
The next two I had to think about too.
Am I gentle towards others?
And do I have self-control?
My head was spinning when I ended the verses.
There’s so much to think about when it comes to the Fruits of the Spirit.
Well since school was out, I decided to go shopping the next day. As I was standing in the long line with my purchases, being very impatient, I saw a rack of Juicy Fruit gum. I had to smile when it reminded me about what I was thinking about so hard yesterday, the Fruits of the Spirit, and I instantly (quietly, of course) reprimanded myself for being so impatient. As I neared the checkout counter, I picked up a pack of Juicy Fruit, and laid it with my other purchases. Now every time I chew the gum, I’ll remember the sermon from Sunday and remind myself to let God become the pilot of my life, let Him take the driver’s seat, and let Him take over. And when I’m done with my gum, I’ll make sure to hang the wrapper on my mirror, to remind myself every morning to let God take control of my day.