We are practising to live more within the will of God. We must do what is right. We must make sure that we gather a lot of wisdom. We must always remain in control, and we must stand strong when the winds want to blow us over. 

Now Coach Peter says we must complement our faith with certain qualities. He refers to some qualities defining the word godliness more. Other versions of the Bible use the word God-fearing, but that sounds like we should fear God. 

We must remember that we’re made in the image of God, but that the fall has put a huge dent in that. If we compare ourselves to Jesus, we see that we don’t really look like Him. 

Yet, this dent in our makeup should not prevent us from becoming more and more like Jesus. This is where we should do the hard work. The first step is to draw closer to the Word of God. 

It is precisely here in God’s Word where we hear His words. Here we hear how God wants us to act. When we then stop doing sinful acts and instead do as the Bible teaches us, we begin to bear more fruits of the Spirit. 

Fortunately, we don’t have to do it all alone. I suspect God knew we would struggle and, therefore, He gave us His Spirit to live in us and help us do things that bear fruit. 

But it is our responsibility to make time to listen to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the world is so loud that we don’t hear His voice, and soon we lose our way. 

Remember: The Holy Spirit will never shout at us. I’ve never heard the voice of the Holy Spirit audibly with my ears; rather it’s a deep awareness inside me. Then I should not ask questions and just do. And every time I did, the results were good. 

We don’t have to look far for these fruits. They are the general building blocks of a healthy society. The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. 

When I look at the fruit and on my own thin branches, I realise that I certainly can’t produce it on my own. I need help. That is precisely why I must be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

No, it’s not an excuse, but we know that we will never be exactly like God. Our way of life trips us up too much for that. But we must continue to try to live like Jesus and learn to become more and more like Him. 

When we sometimes step into a hole or take a wrong turn, we must get out of it as soon as possible, confess our sins, and block the dead-end street on the map of our life to make sure we don’t turn down there again. 

May you pursue God’s fruit with all your might and make sure you bear it for others to feast on. 

Scripture
2 Peter 1:3-15  

Reflection
Which fruits of the Spirit do you bear?
Which fruits can and do you still need to bear?
Where can you share your fruits of the Spirit? 

Prayer
Lord, help me to bear more and more fruit and share them with others. Amen.