Formation | Friday | 10/23

Who Are You Becoming?

Galatians 5:22–25

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

How do you know if you're growing spiritually?

We might measure our growth by how much Scripture we've read, how many church services we've attended, or how much we've learned about God.

Those things matter.

But Paul offers another way to recognize the work of God's Spirit.

Fruit.

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.

These aren't simply religious achievements.

They're descriptions of the kind of person the Spirit is forming us to become.

And they usually develop slowly.

Think about how a tree grows. You don't stand beside it for an afternoon and notice it getting taller. But over months and years, growth becomes unmistakable.

Spiritual formation is often like that.

Little by little, our responses begin to change.

We become more patient with difficult people.

More gracious when someone disappoints us.

More willing to forgive.

More peaceful when circumstances are beyond our control.

Of course, the opposite can happen too.

We can gradually become more cynical, anxious, resentful, impatient, or angry without even realizing it.

That's why it's important to pay attention.

Not simply to what we're doing, but to who we're becoming.

Because the ultimate goal of discipleship isn't to become better at religious activities.

It's to become more like Jesus.

And the good news is that we aren't left to accomplish that transformation ourselves. The Spirit of God is at work, making all things new.

Including you.

Reflect: 

When you consider the fruit of the Spirit, where do you recognize growth in your life? Where do you sense that God is still forming you?

Pray: 

Holy Spirit, continue your transforming work in me. Cultivate love where there is resentment, patience where there is frustration, peace where there is anxiety, and kindness where there is indifference. Help me recognize the person I am becoming, and make me more like Jesus. Amen.