Take a minute and EXAMINE YOUR STORY. It was an eye-opening experience for me.

DIE TO FLESH AND WALK IN THE SPIRIT

For decades I had no clue what that really meant. How was I supposed to die to my flesh? The idea is that when you are being led by the Spirit, you have surrendered your will fully and embraced the will of God. It is no longer your will that fuels the choices you make in life, or inspires your thoughts and thinking, but that of the Holy Spirit. When you are being led by the Spirit, your ego is no longer dictating your decisions or your actions. There is no comparison, competition, compulsion or contention. You allow God to manage everything, and you patiently wait on His direction and guidance.

LOVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FRUIT

When you are being led by the Holy Spirit, your physical self is transformed to be more Christ-like. The old you is replaced by the new spiritual you. The spiritual you that is Christ-like in thinking, speaking, and behaving. There is NO fear. There is an ABUNDANCE of love.

When we are FULL of love, we are empty of hate and fear. Love never fears, for love knows its more powerful than fear; therefore, love is never threatened by fear. Love also knows the truth, that there is no need to fear.

Love is the most empowering fruit of the Holy Spirit and is the only force powerful enough to create sustainable change. It is the light that guides our steps in the path of righteousness. Love sets us free, free to live abundantly in the will of God.

JOY AND PEACE, TWO MORE FRUIT

You cannot have joy in the absence of peace. The peace that surpasses all understanding is already ours; therefore, it should be easy to maintain our daily joy. So, why do we lose our joy? We have forgotten the truth. The truth is that abundant love is ours and we have been blessed with the peace of the Holy Spirit.

A PATIENT MAN IS A HEALTHY MAN

I never realized how much my lack of patience destroyed my TOTAL HEALTH. In the mad rush to go nowhere fast, I raised my cortisol level. Cortisol is one of the fight or flight chemical responses produced by real or perceived danger. Chronic cortisol exposure leads to a host of health issues: chronic inflammation, diabetes, weight issues, high blood pressure, visceral fat, elevated cholesterol, etc. A patient person learns to be still, knows to trust in God’s perfect timing, and is therefore, not stressed, worried, or anxious.

GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, AND KINDNESS

You can be good and kind without being gentle. My sister always tells me it is not what you say but how you say it. I am still a work in progress. I am good and kind; however, I am not always gentle. I know the Holy Spirit will eventually transform me into a gentler person. In the interim, I try to be mindful.

LOSE WEIGHT WITH SELF-CONTROL

The inability to respond appropriately in the face of temptation is a big indication that the Holy Spirit still has a lot of work to do in us. It is not just in eating that we need self-control, but it is also in speaking, and responding when our emotions are high. This is often where it pays to be still and know that God is present. Be still and let God fight the battle.

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRE FAITHFULNESS

Be faithful not only to God, but to self and each other. The Bible teaches us that there are nine fruit of the Holy Spirit, but I say it is really one: love. Love embodies all the other eight fruit. Reflect on the unconditional love of God.