Lenten Devotion – The Holy Spirit Helps Us Love and Serve Others
Day 9, 23 February 2024
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26
Today’s Bible reading reminds us of God’s help for us to relate well with others by loving and serving them. This is also called bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
For over a week after advising a friend not to give up on her China citizenship and birthright, I had no peace and constantly thought of her. I prayed to ask God to show me why. God used a prayer partner to tell me that ‘I was not speaking in love’. I repented before God and apologised to my friend.
We must resist being dragged away from the freedom we have in Christ Jesus to gain our righteousness through the law. We must also resist wasting our freedom in Christ to serve our sinful desires instead of serving others in love. We need to live out our lives with good morals and motives, as well as do good to others. We can do this by the power of the Holy Spirit in us.
How do we practice the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?
Ask the Holy Spirit to fill us daily with fresh power for obedience because we lack strength. Ask the Holy Spirit to help us grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God will help us become more like Him. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in a Christian life. If our hearts are fixed on Him and we are filling our minds and hearts with His words, we will bear fruit.
Let us pray that God will bring about this fruit in our lives.
Elizabeth Liew