2129 Put Your Belt On

2156 The Fruit of Self-Control – Fruits Part 15

Here it is—today we study the final fruit of the Spirit. And isn’t it just like God to save a grand lesson for last? The one fruit every one of us knows we desperately need: Self-control. In mentoring women to pursue their God-given goals and live the life they were created for, I hear this all the time: “Pamela, I just don’t have any willpower. I have no self-control.” Have you ever said that about yourself? But let’s stop and ask a deeper question. Is that really true? Can someone who has been filled with the Holy Spirit truly say they have no self-control? I believe that’s one of the enemy’s favorite lies. It’s a limiting belief designed to keep us striving in our own strength instead of living from the power already at work within us. It’s a lie that makes us buy our own excuses and settle for a little life, all while we were created for a BIG Life. The very presence of God living within you PRODUCES self-control. Let me show you how I know. Most of us refer to Galatians 5:22-23 as the “fruits” of the Spirit—as though Paul is giving us a basket filled with different kinds of fruit. Maybe you’re naturally patient but struggle with kindness. Maybe you have joy but not peace. Maybe you have love but not self-control. It’s like saying, “the basket I was given has grapes, but no strawberries. I just have to struggle through this life with never getting strawberries because I wasn’t given any.” But that’s not what Paul wrote. Look closely. He doesn’t say, “The Holy Spirit produces these fruits.” He says, “The fruit of the Spirit is…” Let’s read it for ourselves, Galatians 5: 22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces THIS KIND OF FRUIT in our lives: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Fruit is singular. Paul isn’t describing 9 separate fruits we can pick and choose from. He is describing one Spirit-produced life that reveals itself in 9 beautiful expressions: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Think of it like sunlight passing through a prism. It’s one light, yet it displays many colors. If a prism has sunlight, then it has all the colors. There’s not one defective prism just lacking pink. There’s not another just lacking yellow. They’re all there if the prism has sunlight, just turn it to see. The fruit of the Spirit works much the same way. It is one supernatural life produced by the Holy Spirit, expressed in multiple ways. That changes everything. Self-control isn’t an isolated virtue reserved for naturally disciplined people. It isn’t a personality trait. It isn’t something God gives to a select few while withholding it from everyone else. Yet somehow we believe only the super fit get self-control. Only the ones losing weight, or saving money, or with a clean house have self-control. Only those who consistently meet their goals have self-control. Isn’t that what you’ve believed? And haven’t you dismissed yourself at some point because you just don’t have the same self-control they do? Girl, don’t let the enemy twist this. Don’t let him convince you that you’re lacking the fruit. Are you a believer and follower of Jesus? Have you placed your faith in him and surrendered your life to him? Yes? Then you have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. God’s presence dwells within you. And just like when sunlight hits the prism, all the lights are present when you turn it – all 9 expressions of the Spirit are growing in you! You’re not missing one. You weren’t just left out. Self-control is part of the very character the Holy Spirit is growing in EVERY believer – and that means YOU. Self-control is growing in you right along side love and joy, and peace and patience, kindness, goodness and gentleness. Now, does that mean every Christian demonstrates perfect self-control? Of course not. Fruit grows. No one plants an apple tree on Monday and expects a harvest by Friday. Growth is gradual. It is cultivated. It is nourished. It matures over time. The question isn’t, “Do I already have perfect self-control?” The better question is, “Am I yielding to the Spirit who is producing it in me?” That’s an entirely different conversation. You may feel like someone who lacks self-control because you’ve looked at your failures more than God’s promises. But your failures don’t define what the Holy Spirit is capable of producing. If you belong to Christ, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. That means the seed of self-control has already been planted. The issue isn’t whether God has given it. The issue is whether we’re allowing Him to cultivate it. This life isn’t about gritting our teeth and trying harder. It has always been about surrendering more deeply. Now, let’s study self-control and see what it really means. The Greek word translated as ‘self-control’ means power and strength within. What this means is the Holy Spirits gives every believer an internal ruler stronger than external temptation. No matter what temptation you’re facing, there’s an internal ruler stronger! There’s a power within you that can turn away, resist, and overcome. Y’all this past weekend I was at my Mama’s house and she made her award winning, best thing you’ve ever eaten in your whole life, blackberry cobbler. She had gone out and picked the fresh blackberries herself. She had made her secret pie crust that’s thick and perfectly flaky and buttery. Then, she made homemade icrecream to go with it. BUT I am committed with a healthy meal plan right now that does not include cobbler or ice cream, dad-gum-it! So, how do you think I did? Do you think I was able to withstand the temptation of this culinary perfection? You bet your butt I did, and here’s how – I HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN ME and I KNOW THERE’S AN INTERNAL RULER STRONGER THAN THAT TEMPTATION. (I just have to listen to the right voice.) Does God really care if I eat mama’s blackberry cobbler and homemade icecream? Nahhh, I don’t think so. But I do believe God cares about my health because this body is a vessel for his Holy Spirit. And I do believe he cares about the commitments I make and my willingness to tap into the power he has given me to follow through with those commitments. What the Holy Spirit is growing within us isn’t the absence of desire. (I still really wanted a very large bowl of that greatness.) What the Holy Spirit is growing within us is proper rule OVER DESIRE. It’s the internal governor that says, “You don’t have to do every little thing you feel like doing. You don’t have to get everything you think you want. You don’t have to have immediate gratification. You’re not a victim to your every desire. Yield to God’s power within you.” 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” That’s what God has given you. Now it’s up to you to abide in him and surrender to the power he has put within you! Before Jesus saved us, our flesh ruled. We set on our throne, our desires issued commands and our minds justified them. Our bodies obeyed. But with Jesus we have the Holy Spirit, now we’re under a different command. There’s a different ruler on the throne. Jesus sits in authority. The Spirit empowers new desires. And yes, our flesh still speaks, but it is not longer the king. Self-control is evidence there’s a new king governing our heart and life. We become a new person with the fruit of the Holy Spirit growing in us! Now, understand this, the Holy Spirit does not merely hand us extra strength. He reshapes our loves. God’s commands come with God’s enabling grace. The Spirit writes God’s law on our hearts, creating new desires that increasingly align with His will. As we grow in Christ, we don’t just have stronger disciple, we actually grow to WANT WHAT GOD WANTS. The deepest direction of our heart is changing!!!!!! You can’t will yourself into that change – that’s a direct result of the Holy Spirit working within you. Now here’s what I hope you’ll never forget – Self-control is not about becoming a stronger version of you. It’s about becoming a more surrendered version of you. The world says, “Try harder.” Jesus says, “Abide in Me.” The world says, “Get more disciplined.” The Holy Spirit says, “Walk with Me.” Maybe you’ve spent years telling yourself, “I just don’t have any self-control.” Maybe you’ve believed that’s just the way you are. Maybe you’ve looked at other women and thought, “They’re disciplined. They’re organized. They’re healthy. They’re financially wise. They have self-control…I just don’t.” Sweet friend, that’s not your identity. If you belong to Christ, the Holy Spirit lives within you. And if the Holy Spirit lives within you, then He is producing His fruit within you—including self-control. The question isn’t whether God has given it. The question is whether you’ll believe it’s there…and begin partnering with Him instead of arguing with Him. Every time you’re tempted to quit… Every time you want to say something you’ll regret… Every time you want to give in to fear… Every time you want immediate gratification instead of God’s best… Pause. Remember who’s on the throne. Remember there is an internal Ruler who is stronger than every external temptation. Then choose to listen to His voice instead of the voice of your flesh. Will you still have moments where you fail? Absolutely. But failure is no longer your identity. It’s simply another opportunity to turn back to the One who is faithfully growing His fruit in you. Fruit doesn’t grow because we strain harder. Fruit grows because it stays connected to the vine. Jesus said in John 15, “Abide in Me.” He didn’t say, “Impress Me.” He didn’t say, “Perform for Me.” He said, “Remain in Me.” That’s the secret. As you remain with Him, the Holy Spirit keeps doing what only He can do. He changes your desires. He renews your mind. He strengthens your resolve. He reminds you of truth in the moment you need it. He gives you power to say “no” to what steals life so you can say “yes” to what leads to life. And one day you’ll look back and realize something remarkable. The things that once mastered you… don’t anymore. Not because you finally found enough willpower. But because the Spirit of God has been faithfully transforming you from the inside out. That’s the fruit of self-control. Not a life of white-knuckled striving. A life that is increasingly ruled by Jesus. And isn’t that what we’ve been studying all along? Self-control is simply Jesus ruling where our flesh used to. That’s the fruit the Holy Spirit is growing in you. So don’t leave here saying, “I need more willpower.” Leave here saying, “Holy Spirit, have more of me.” Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela [https://instagram.com/headmamapamela] Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim [https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim] Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com [http://biglifehq.com]

2155 The Fruit of Gentleness – Fruits Part 14

As God’s presence takes up residence in you and becomes your guide, that harsh outer shell begins to break away. The walls you’ve built crumble. And what grows like fresh ivy taking over that old exterior is GENTLENESS. Gentleness is not weakness, nor is it passive. This word translated into ‘gentleness’ was used to describe a powerful horse that had been trained. The horse doesn’t lose it’s power when trained, it learns discipline. Gentleness is one of the most misunderstood Fruits of the Spirit because many people hear the word and think “weak,” “passive,” or “timid.” But in Scripture, gentleness is actually controlled strength under the direction of God. God never seeks to take away your strength, he works to direct your strength with discipline. When your strength is submitted to God, you receive gentleness. Then, just like a well trained horse, you are powerful with a purpose. Galatians 5: 22-23, “But the Holy spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, GENTLENESS. You don’t produce this kind of controlled strength and discipline on your own, it grows when you surrender your life to God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Remember, the horse doesn’t train itself – it submits itself to training. It doesn’t relinquish it’s strength, it surrenders its strength to direction. God isn’t asking you to be weak and incapable – he’s working in you to make you stronger than you ever imagined! He’s training you for great purposes. Jesus describes himself in Matthew 11: 29 as “humble and gentle at heart.” Humble and gentle – they go together. This is how God’s Spirit works within us. First, he humbles us to help us see who we are without him. From that inward humility grows gentleness, changing how we treat others. Humility is the root, gentleness is the fruit. The life surrendered to Jesus is humble like him, and grows in gentleness. Was Jesus ever without strength and power for a moment? Never! Yet, his gentleness was all his strength under control and all his power held in discipline, as he hung on the cross to die. Gentleness allowed him to fulfill his purpose. So, are you called by God to be harsh and rigid? Absolutely not. Are you designed to be the angry one – the destroyer – the one who tears things down? No, his spirit prodcues GENTLENESS in you. Your strength will never be stronger than it is when it is submitted to the training of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness doesn’t need to dominate or control. Gentleness doesn’t need to win every argument. Gentleness is strength restrained with discipline, under the direction of God. I love spending time in Bali. The Balinese people are truly some of the most humble and gentle people on earth. On my most recent trip, my drive Panji taught me that in their culture, the angry and demanding person is not the strongest person, in fact they are the weakest person. Anger is seen as weakness. Power trips are seen as failure. Humility and gentleness are true strength. Seeing this lived out by an entire culture is one of the most refreshing things I’ve ever seen. AND THEY ARE WITHOUT JESUS. They have to work to produce that on their own. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us, naturally growing GENTLENESS, so why on earth do we fight it? Why are we trying to be the boss? Why are we trying to gain control? Why are we trying to force or manipulate? Why are we so angry and unbridled? Girl, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT DO HIS WORK IN YOU. LET HIM GROW GENTLENESS FROM WITHIN YOU. Here’s how God’s gentleness grows within you. First, the Holy Spirit begins to expose any harshness. You start noticing your impatience. You become aware of your tendency to get defensive. You see your controlling tendencies for yourself. You hear your own angry voice and you grow to dislike it. This is holy conviction, and it’s the work of the Holy Spirit in you. This is how change happens! As you lean into the work of the Holy Spirit, you begin to see how God changes people so much better than your force ever could have. You begin to see how your anger was never necessary. You understand how your ploy for control was always making things worse. Now, with this awareness, you grow in trust and dependence of God. The more you grow in trust, the more Christ’s character is formed in you. As you walk with Jesus, you begin naturally walking like him. The gentleness of Jesus begins to grow within you, reshaping you from the inside. Philippians 4:5, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” Looking back, my best parenting was always gentleness. Every time I was harsh or angry, I generally made things worse. What my husband has needed was gentleness. The Holy Spirit is growing gentleness within you – yes, let it be evident to all. Gentleness is strength under control. Gentleness reflects the heart of Jesus. Gentleness makes restoration possible. Gentleness is evidence of the Holy Spirit growing in you. As God’s presence takes up residence in you and becomes your guide, that harsh outer shell begins to break away. The walls you’ve built crumble. And what grows like fresh ivy taking over that old exterior is GENTLENESS. Have you ever noticed an old wall covered in ivy? This is such a picture of the Holy Spirit transforming us. Imagine an old stone fortress. For years it has stood alone. Thick walls. Cold stones. Sharp edges. Built for defense. And maybe those walls were necessary at one time. They were built after betrayal, disappointment, criticism, fear, rejection, or loss. They kept enemies out—but they also kept love from freely flowing in and out. Many of us become emotional fortresses without realizing it. Then Christ comes to dwell within us. He doesn’t begin by demolishing the fortress with explosions. He begins by making it unnecessary. The walls just aren’t necessary any more. Then, like ivy taking root in the cracks, His Spirit quietly begins to spread. At first, the ivy seems insignificant. You still react sharply sometimes. You still become defensive. You still protect your pride. Yet something new is growing within. Something is changing. Season after season, the ivy grows. It softens every hard line. It reaches places no hammer could. It finds tiny cracks where grace can enter. Eventually people no longer notice the fortress first—they notice the living green that covers it. That is gentleness. Not the absence of strength. Strength clothed in life.The goal is not to become more gentle by sheer effort. The goal is to abide in Christ. As His presence fills every room of your heart, His gentleness quietly overtakes the old cold walls of self-protection. That is the quiet miracle of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is one of the clearest signs that this transformation is taking root. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela [https://instagram.com/headmamapamela] Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim [https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim] Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com [http://biglifehq.com]

2154 The Fruit of Faithfulness – Fruits Part 13

Faithfulness isn’t something our culture celebrates very much. We celebrate talent, success, influence, and achievement. But heaven celebrates something different. Heaven celebrates faithfulness. In the life of someone not under the influence of the Holy Spirit, faithfulness is a constant struggle. But in the life of someone filled with the Spirit, faithfulness begins to grow naturally. It becomes part of who they are. Galatians 5:23, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: Love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, FAITHFULNESS …” Again, it’s a fruit. It’s not something we strain for, it’s something that grows within us and is naturally produced in our lives when we are abiding in Jesus. Faithfulness is a translation of the Greek word ‘pistis’ which means, reliability, trustworthiness, fidelity, loyalty and dependability. Yip, all the things you would look for in a partner – that’s what God naturally GROWS in US! But faithfulness is born out of trusting God. BECAUSE we trust God, we can be absolutely steadfast. We can stay the course and continue forward no matter what because of our unshakable faith in God. Without God, we waiver. With God, we are faithful. Faithfulness isn’t flashy. It rarely gets applause. It’s the behind-the-scenes commitment no one notices. Faithfulness quietly keeps promises. It shows up long after the excitement has faded. It finishes what it starts. It stays when circumstances become difficult. It keeps loving after feelings change. It keeps serving after recognition disappears. It keeps trusting when prayers seem unanswered. Lasting faithfulness is impossible without Jesus. We may keep a promise here and there through sheer determination, but only the Holy Spirit can produce a life marked by consistent faithfulness. When you have Jesus, an unfaithful life feels so incredibly wrong in every sense. The Holy Spirit lovingly refuses to leave us comfortable in unfaithfulness. He convicts us, stirs our hearts, and keeps drawing us back toward obedience. The gift of the Holy Spirit won’t let us sleep when we are being unfaithful. The Holy Spirit will stir us up, poke at us, and leave us in a state of complete unrest when we’re unfaithful. Thank you Lord, for not leaving me like I was! Once again, recognize this is a character of God, not of humans. Adam and Eve lived in paradise. There was no sin, no brokenness, no pain. God gave them one command—just one—and they couldn’t keep it. That’s the story of humanity. Left to ourselves, we aren’t naturally faithful. We wander. We quit. We compromise. We break promises. We fail. But God is different. Deuteronomy 7:9, “The LORD your God is indeed God. He is the FAITHFUL God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.” God has never broken a promise. He’s never abandoned a plan. He’s never walked away from His people. God is faithful. It’s who he is and what he does. **Now here’s the miracle… The faithful God now lives in you. Think about that. The God who has never broken a promise… The God who has never abandoned His children… The God who always finishes what He starts… lives inside you through His Holy Spirit. So it only makes sense that His faithfulness is beginning to grow in you too. So you know what you absolutely MUST do – Stop introducing yourself by your old nature. STOP excusing yourself as someone who simply can’t finish what you start. That may have been the old you, but remember the Spirit of God is now working in you to make you NEW. You’re not who you once were, you’re becoming more and more like Jesus with the character of God reshaping you. Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful. Maybe you’ve never stuck with anything your entire life – okay – but it doesn’t have to continue that way. Something new is growing now. With the power of the Holy Spirit, let me tell you exactly who you are becoming: You’re becoming the girl who is obedient when no one is watching. Yes, you’re proving you can be trusted with little, so now God is going to trust you with much! You’re becoming the girl who is faithful in her relationships. You keep your commitments and you remain loyal – no matter what. You’re becoming a girl who gives her best even when no one is watching. You work with your whole heart in all you do, as if you’re doing it for God himself. You’re becoming that good and faithful servant. Maybe not always successful, but that’s never what Jesus asked for. He honors your faithfulness over your success. You’re becoming the girl who can wait. The girl who can trust even when the answers don’t come. You’re living out Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold tightly to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” You trust God, so you faithfully wait for the fulfillment of his promises over your life. Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful. And let me tell you something, your life now feels different with the fruit of faithfulness growing in you. You’re stable. People trust you. You live so much deeper now, stronger now, healthier now. And most importantly, your faithfulness reflects that genuine character of God and people are continually catching a glimpse of Jesus through you. Yip, every time you show up because you said you would – every time you keep going and don’t give up – every time you keep your promises – every time you give your best effort – every single time, you’re shining Jesus to this world. When people know they can count on you, when you are known to keep your word, when you are consistent and steady, when you are unwavering even under pressure, when you are still there even when life gets hard, when you finish the things God asked you to begin, when you stay instead of walking away …. THAT’S THE FRUIT OF FAITHFULNESS GROWING IN YOUR LIFE. That’s the power of God in you! Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful. Faithfulness looks like Abraham and Sarah trusting God’s promise for a baby for decades. Faithfulness looks like Joseph as a slave, Joseph as a prisoner, and Joseph in power with the same unshakable character. Faithfulness looks like Ruth out gathering what little food there was, doing what she could do to survive and care for her mother-in-law, when she stumbled into the field of a rich man who would love her. Faithfulness is Mary, a teenage virgin willingly accepting a miraculous pregnancy that would turn her whole world upside down. Faithfulness is Jesus – walking out his calling and purpose all the way to the cross, eyes always on the Father. Faithfulness – you are being called to it. Faithfulness – it’s being produced in your life through a power so much greater than you. You’re growing in faithfulness and it’s changing you. Recognize this change. Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful. Challenge for Today: “Be Faithful in the Small Things” Choose one area where you can intentionally practice Spirit-produced faithfulness today. Here are a few ideas: Keep every promise you make today—even the small ones. Arrive early for every commitment. Complete a task you’ve been postponing. Spend your planned time with God, even if you don’t “feel” like it. Encourage someone you’ve committed to pray for, and then actually pray for them. Follow through on something without seeking recognition. As you do, pray: “Holy Spirit, make me a faithful person. Form in me a character that reflects the unwavering faithfulness of Jesus. Help me to be trustworthy in the little things, steadfast in difficulty, loyal in relationships, and devoted to You. May my life proclaim Your faithfulness to everyone I meet.” The Holy Spirit delights to produce that kind of steady, enduring faithfulness— one faithful choice at a time. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela [https://instagram.com/headmamapamela] Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim [https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim] Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com [http://biglifehq.com]

2153 The Fruit of Goodness – Fruits Part 12

When we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, our very character changes. From within, we become different. Girl, you’re simply not who you once were. Have you noticed as you change and grow it almost puts a spotlight on our loved ones who are NOT. Maybe someone you love is NOT under the influence of the Holy Spirit and they seem to be stuck in old way … well, they are. When you invite the presence of God into your life HE makes you new. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” This means if someone DOESN’T belong to Christ, they’re still the same old person living the same life. Their answer is not to try harder – their answer is to surrender their life to Jesus and let the Holy Spirit change them from within! So, here we are as surrendered souls being made new. We’re being reworked from the inside so we’re becoming different, growing different fruit in our lives. Naturally, when the inside has changed, the outside begins to change as well. Today we study the next fruit produced in our life under the influence of the Holy Spirit – GOODNESS. The Greek word translated into goodness has a root word meaning good, upright and excellent. When the suffix is added, it turns into a character trait. The full meaning of this word “goodness” means to have moral excellence, an upright heart, integrity and goodness in action. And where does this goodness come from? Only ONE source – this is God’s goodness flowing through us. This is not self-produced goodness. This isn’t a 10 step program to change your heart and realign your morals. This isn’t being kind, doing nice things, changing your morals – this is God himself expressing HIS character through your surrendered life. This is simply the goodness of God himself dwelling within, transforming you, and then naturally flowing out from you. When you surrender your life to God, HE makes you good. If you’re struggling with a twisted heart or mind, there’s ONE who is in the business of untwisting – that’s the work of the Holy Spirit. And every single one of us have gotten a little twisted. Life in this world has a way of doing that. Human nature is a twisting. We simply can’t live well without God’s influence and direction. This is NEVER a matter of you being a better person than someone else – this is always a matter of God’s almighty work within you. Without God, you would be one twisted girl living in utter darkness – and that’s just the humbling truth. The Holy Spirit changes our character to GOODNESS. He aligns our morals with God’s. He teaches us to do what is right even when no one is watching. He grows our desires in the direction of integrity. We don’t do that ourselves. Girl, if there’s goodness in you, that’s a work of God, not of you! This fruit of goodness is a growing of WHO YOU ARE. It’s an external proof of the internal transformation happening. God is GOOD. His power is good. His ways are good. His plans are good. And when your soul is surrendered to Him as Lord and He is in control of your life, then He is living inside of you, making you good. It starts with Him and flows into you. This isn’t an act of willpower on your part; this is an act of surrender. This isn’t an achievement; this is a transformation. Goodness is the overflow of abiding in Christ. The fruit isn’t something you force—it is something God grows as you remain connected to Him. Goodness starts with God. Goodness flows into you. Goodness grows through you. Goodness blesses everyone around you. If you take GOD out of GOODNESS, you are left with o-ness. If you’re trying to make yourself be good without the power of the Holy Spirit working in you, you may achieve good behavior for a while, but you’ll never produce godly goodness. Only God can produce God’s character. GOODNESS IS GOD’S CHARACTER. We try to be good without God and we just end up exhausting ourselves trying to become by effort – but this goodness is only produced through surrender to God. Do you want to be better? SURRENDER! Then the fruit of goodness will naturally grow! Jesus shows us what the goodness of God within looks like in action. Acts 10:38 puts it simply, “Jesus went around doing good.” The character of goodness always produces goodness in action. The more the Holy Spirit works his goodness in you, the more your actions align to those of Jesus. Girl, you’re going to be going around DOING GOOD! What if your entire life became about going around just doing good! You want to represent Jesus to this world – go around doing good! Let God’s goodness flow through you onto everyone you encounter! Ephesians 2:10 says we’re created to do the good things God planned for us. Doing good things doesn’t save us – But the goodness of God growing in us naturally has us going around doing good things! Think about that – do you notice that in your own journey with God? The more you grow in Jesus – the more you learn and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit – the more he has you going around doing good things! How radically cool is that? THAT’S THE FRUIT OF GOODNESS GROWING IN YOUR LIFE! So today, don’t leave our time together thinking, “I need to try harder to be good.” Leave thinking, “I need to stay closer to God.” Fruit never grows because the branch strains harder—it grows because it stays connected to the vine. The closer you live to Jesus, the more His goodness becomes your goodness. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself speaking with more integrity, loving more deeply, giving more generously, forgiving more freely, serving more joyfully, and doing good almost without thinking about it. That’s the Holy Spirit transforming your character. Girl, this world doesn’t just need more nice people. It needs more people so surrendered to Jesus that His goodness overflows into every conversation, every decision, every relationship, and every ordinary day. So stay surrendered. Stay connected. Stay under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Then go around doing good, because everywhere the goodness of God goes, darkness loses ground and people catch a glimpse of Jesus. And really that’s what it’s all about – show the world JESUS! Every act of goodness points beyond us. Every kind word, every generous act, every choice of integrity, every quiet sacrifice becomes another opportunity for someone to catch a glimpse of Jesus. So let His goodness grow in you, flow through you, and reveal Him to the world. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela [https://instagram.com/headmamapamela] Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim [https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim] Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com [http://biglifehq.com]

2152 The Fruit of Kindness – Fruits Part 11

In our study of the fruits of the Spirit, we’re understanding this isn’t a list of attributes to strive for, it’s not a checklist for being a follower of Jesus, it’s the tangible results that grow in our lives when we’re connected to God. FRUITS of the Spirit. Fruit grows. Fruit is the natural outcome of a healthy tree. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence living within us, and that Spirit changes our heart. And very naturally without force, when our heart changes, our behavior changes. We start seeing things and people differently. We start responding differently. Our priorities shift. And even our very character is changed. With the Holy Spirit, we naturally begin to grow in love, in joy, in peace and in patience. Now the next literal change we can see as the Holy Spirit works to change our hearts, we grow in KINDNESS. Galatians 5:23, “The Holy Spirit produce this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness …” The Greek word translated into kindness is chrēstotēs. This word means being a blessing wherever you go. It is more than just a smile, it is an intentional act that benefits others. This is a disposition, meaning WHO YOU ARE. Who you are is blessed and what you do is be a blessing – that is the true meaning of kindness as a fruit of the Spirit. Kindness is a focus on others that continually asks, “How can I help? How can I lift their burden? How can I bless?” Kindness takes the focus off self and sees the needs of others. When kindness sees a need, it springs into action – not for how it makes them look, but for how it makes others feel. Acts of kindness reveal the kindness of our God. Did you know scripture calls God KIND? Psalm 145: 13-20, listen to this description of our God – “The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with KINDNESS. The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him …” Y’all, that’s OUR GOD! He is so genuinely KIND. He blesses us beyond measure. As a recipient of his kindness in the Holy Spirit, we then begin to grow that same kindness from within. It becomes who we are. We are blessed to be a blessing. Everywhere Jesus went, kindness followed. Think about it. He touched lepers when no one was willing to even stand next to them. As a woman caught in adultery was about to be stoned to death, he drew a line in the sand and defended her. He stood in a hungry crowd of thousands and decided he would feed them their next meal. As he hung on the cross dying the most painful death imaginable, he forgave. Kindness wasn’t something Jesus occasionally did – it was who he was. And we’re called to be more and more like Jesus. We can’t be like Jesus without being KIND. Kindness moves. Kindness responds. Kindness steps right into the messy need and gets their hands dirty. As kindness grows within us through the work of the Holy Spirit, we will no longer be able to just walk by anymore because we’re too busy. THAT’S CHANGING. The fruit of kindness changes what we see. Instead of seeing interruptions, we see opportunities. Instead of seeing differences, we see hurting people who God loves. Instead of seeing ourselves as better, we see ourselves as a vessel that carries a blessing, and that blessing is to be poured out! Imagine three people walk into a room where someone is hurting. The first person says, “I’m praying for you.” That’s compassion. The second person says, “God is with you in this.” That may be goodness. The third person says, “I brought dinner. I’ll watch your kids. I’ll mow your yard. I’ll sit with you.” That’s chrēstotēs KINDNESS. Kindness doesn’t just merely notice pain. Kindness enters it. In this world, our hearts naturally become impatient and critical. Life can make us harsh and suspicious. We can begin building our walls and our judgments. But the Holy Spirit starts tearing down those walls. The work of God’s presence living within us softens our hearts again. Here’s the thing, when you know you have been overwhelmed by totally undeserved kindness from God himself, then you can’t help but turn around and show undeserved kindness to others. If you’re amazed by the sheer kindness of Jesus, then you can’t remain indifferent toward people. Kindness changes who you are! Kindness at work within you has no limits. The Holy Spirit wants to grow kindness is you that changes absolutely everything you do. Suddenly you’ll notice the way you talk is kind. The way you drive is kind. The way you parent is kind. The way you lead is kind. They way you follow is kind. Kindness will permeate everything about you and everything you do. God’s kindness toward us becomes God’s kindness through us. It’s one of the clearest proofs that Jesus is changing your heart! As you walk with Jesus and grow in his Spirit, have you noticed yourself changing? It hasn’t been an overnight change, but a gradual growth. You don’t see things the way you used to. You can’t just walk by what you used to walk by. You’re moved by the needs of people now. You hurt when they hurt. You’re no longer serving from a self-seeking position, but a heart that has been transformed by the love of Christ. His Spirit is teaching you to love what He loves, to value what He values, and guess what that is … PEOPLE. God loves his people. God values his people. Now his Spirit teaches us to do the same. What once seemed like an interruption now becomes an opportunity to show compassion. What once felt like a burden now becomes a privilege to carry. This is the evidence of spiritual maturity—not perfection, but transformation. As God continues His work in you, your life begins to reflect His kindness, His patience, His mercy, and His grace. The more you abide in Him, the more His character is formed in you. Others may not notice every small change, but over time they begin to see Jesus in the way you speak, the way you forgive, the way you serve, and the way you love. Keep walking with Him. He is faithfully shaping you into the person He created you to be. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela [https://instagram.com/headmamapamela] Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim [https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim] Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com [http://biglifehq.com]