Nougat 3

As we zero in on the last mineral in the Fruit of God’s Spirit, I urge us – hang in there! Let’s not get discouraged. Wherever we are falling short, let’s see what can happen if God’s given Total control. Here’s today’s Holy Nougat

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.” Galatians 5:22-23, 26 NLT

Many of us believers have very little Won’t Power. We have been duped into thinking that saying No to seemingly ordinary, simple things is a betrayal of our Christian calling. But we have options. To do/be or not. Self-control, also referred to in some versions as temperance, is not only about abstaining from ‘bad’ things or choices. It also includes our ability to declutter and recognize when to do what. Even things for God.

I have seen D-I-Ys (Do it Yourself or self help) material on self control and still hold that the best form of self control comes from God’s Spirit. Our Nougat begins with the words “but the Holy Spirit produces …” That serves as a good reminder to us – it’s the Spirit of God Who works in us to get us to maturity. Ironically, for that to happen ‘naturally’, we need to give up our own control over ourselves.

Our humanity isn’t always open to being restrained by boundaries. If we were, there would be far fewer cases of abuse – of self and others. What entails now often seems like us yielding to conceit (thinking ourselves better than others), jealousy (unhealthy desiring of others gifts, skills and other traits), or misusing our giftings to demean another. In addition to the aforementioned, we ought also consider impatience with God’s timing, and even workaholic tendencies as lack of self control. Sadly, most of us may yield to one or all examples; even though we know they displease God.

The antidote: yielding to God’s Spirit.

Yups

It’s that simple. (Or that difficult)

Remember, “Walk in the Spirit, so you don’t pursue the lusts (temptations) of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16)? It’s about our surrender to God’s Spirit in recognition that God always wants the best for us, no matter how it seems.

May the fruit we bear be mineral rich by the intervention of God’s Spirit at work in us richly amen

—

May all we seek be found in Christ