Fruit of the Spirit

Fruit of the Spirit

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary. I'm free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness.
I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I choose peace
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I choose patience
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so.
I choose kindness
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one.
I choose faithfulness
Today I will keep my promises.
I choose gentleness
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
I choose self-control
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal.
I will be drunk only by joy.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will see his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

STUDY GUIDE
READ GALATIANS 5:19-25

* What personal challenges threaten your ability to maintain a positive attitude on a daily basis?

* What three choices would make the world a better place if every person made those choices this morning?

* When did someone else's attitude make all the difference for you?

* How did Jesus exemplify the attitudes described in this Scripture?

* What attitudes often stand in the way of living a life filled with the fruits of the Spirit?

* What words would you use to describe Christ's attitude while he lived on earth?

* How does you choice of attitude at the beginning of the day affect the remainder of it?

* What spiritual attitudes are the most difficult for you to maintain?

* To live the kind of life described above, what kind of choices would you have to make each day?


The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus - Max Lucado, General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers