What It Looks Like

Hearing God

We just finished a series at church on the Holy Spirit called Breathe.  Well towards the end of the series I remember David Dwight, our senior pastor, talking about what it looks like to live a life that is filled with the Spirit of God.  What I remember most about this was the way I could almost audibly hear the Lord say to me “yes, that is what it does looks like...and you know what it doesn’t look like? Bitterness. Cynicism.  Resentment. Worry. Being overly critical.”

Ouch. 

What it looks like 

Galatians 5:22 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”

Like many church kids, I’m sure there was a time when I memorized this list from Galatians 5.  Over the course of 5 years in my old job, I used this passage of scripture for multiple teachings and Bible studies.  But sitting in church a few weeks ago, the weight of those words hit me for the first time.

Each of these - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control - is evidence of a life filled with the Spirit of God.  They are the byproduct...the overflowing results of a life that is filled with the Holy Spirit. 

It doesn’t say anything about worrying over things that haven’t even happened...or spewing about issues I’m not willing to talk about with the person who hurt me...or spending more time than is healthy on the internet or TV...or snapping at BJ and then making up some reason that “justifies” my bad attitude.  Nope.  None of those things are on that list.

God is so gracious.  BJ is fond of saying that if God gave us the whole “grocery list” of things we need to deal with at once, we would collapse under the weight.  Instead, He patiently waits and takes us through our hearts just one step at a time.  So like I said, I felt bad enough considering the fact that those things weren’t on the list.  God let me sit with that thought for a couple weeks.  Then I sat down to write this and I read the verses that come just before Galatians 5:22, and I found a new list...

What it doesn't look like 

Galatians 5:19-21 - “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes/selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these...”

Again, I’ve read this passage (and taught on it) many times.  I’ve even taken two college classes that did an in depth study of this book and I was tested on these verses.  Yet somehow, the reality of the words didn’t hit me before now.  I don’t know how I skimmed over these three verses with such ease.  I think I only focused on the words that did not apply to me as quickly...such as sorcery - “I’m not a witch, I’m good!”  You get the idea...it was easy for me to disconnect from the weight of these verses if I just focused on the 2 or 3 words that don’t really describe me.  Also, I conveniently focused on the fruits of the Spirit because I could think of examples of times I displayed each of them. 

The thought that has rocked my world though is this - which words describe me most of the time?  What am I truly characterized by?  And is the part of my life that does display the fruits of the Spirit being entangled by the presence of things from that second list?

Life abundantly  

In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”

If love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are the outwards signs of a heart that is filled with the Spirit of God, then they are the outward signs of a heart filled with LIFE.  There is LIFE to be found in this kind of heart.  Abundant life found in Christ looks like this. That also means the opposite is true.  When I justify bitterness, outbursts of anger, jealousy, selfishness, worry, etc, I am justifying my heart being filled with things that can only lead to death. 

And I choose life.

How wonderful it is that all of those fruits of the Spirit are found in the heart and character of God, and that He is loving, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and full of peace and self-control towards me! I am undeserving of such great love.