The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22, 23 RSV
How do you picture God? What is He like?
In How Do You Picture God? Part 1 of 3 (below this devotional), I listed some of the attributes of God, as revealed by His Son, Jesus Christ. In our challenge to find character traits of God in Scripture, what did you find out about God?
Let me share some of the Lord’s attributes and character traits that I discovered.
The character of God is revealed in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit are exhibited in the believer who is following after the Holy Spirit and not following the flesh. It’s not something we go out and get like we were at a market, but it comes from within as we are yielded to God.
Jesus was and is God, and wholly yielded to His Heavenly Father. Jesus produced the fruit of the Spirit in His life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Love. Jesus’ love for us brought Him to earth and to the cross to pay our penalty for sin. It was the Father’s love for us that had Him give Jesus for us.
Joy. Jesus wants us to share His joy in our lives. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:10-11 NKJV
Peace. Jesus had peace, even when He was dealing with difficult people. He desires peace for us. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 NKJV
Kindness. Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His kindness… Psalm 31:21 NKJV
Faithfulness. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly. Psalm 40:10 NKJV
Gentleness. Consider the gentleness that Jesus showed to the woman caught in adultery. She expected to be stoned to death, according to the Law. Jesus stooped and wrote on the ground. He told her accusers “He that is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Scripture doesn’t say what Jesus wrote. I wonder if it was a list of their sins, for her accusers left from oldest to youngest. Jesus asked her where her accusers were. “Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” John 8:3-11 ESV
There is so much more about God we can learn. May we know God better every day.
How do you picture God? Has your image of Him changed by looking at His Word? What additional traits have you discovered? I would love hear from you in the comment section.
Dear LORD, Please show me who You really are. Reveal Yourself to me as I search Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Thank you for joining me and for reading my devotional blogs. Blogs post every other Thursday. Past devotionals are archived for your convenience. The previous devotional follows this one on the web page.
Kathryn Breckenridge 