This month, we have been concentrating on love. Our call leads has been directing the word of God and teaching on the greatest command that the Lord have given mankind, which is love.
The fruit of love is one of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is the fruit that we all must bear as Christians. Having the fruit of love within our hearts should be shown to all who we come in contact with us. Jesus is love and as we profess that we are apart of His family, we should carry this fruit. But this is a fruit that many can be challenge with, especially when there is a time to operate in forgiveness or patience.
I have learned that in order to have love, the type of love God that He expresses to us daily, we must be put through challenges in our own life so that we can operate in and extend love that way. I had to learn this first hand when my husband and I went through a challenging time in our marriage. I had to extend the fruit of love through patience (long-suffering) in order for me to love like God wanted me to love. I also had to learn how to love people who didn't love (or like) me! I had to deal with those type of people, (including extended relatives) weekly and sometimes daily. I had to gain the Lord's wisdom in know how to handle those type of people and it wasn't easy. But I thank the Lord for what I encountered because I gained what I needed in those seasons so that I could produce more fruit in my life and those who I assigned to me in ministry.
Apostle Paul tells the Galatian church that the only thing that counts is faith expressed through love and he lets them know that the entire law is summed up in a single command of loving your neighbor as yourself (Galatians 5:14). But how can we love our neighbor if we do not know how to let go of our sinful nature (Romans 7:18)? The sinful nature of envy, discord, jealousy for others, rage, selfishness, hatred etc will not allow us to truly love others the way God needs us to love his people (Galatians 5). That's why we must continue to be submitted to God through Jesus so that we can always operate in the Spirit and not the flesh. Flesh will always lead us to feed our needs and how we feel and it won't allow us to operate in compassion for others.
I encourage you this month especially during the holiday season to remember that God wants us to operate in the fruit of the spirit. When you are around your extended relatives who may have done you wrong or people who may not like you, extend God's love through having patience with them. Extended love through kindness for them. Show love through being gentle with the way how you talk to them. This will make the Lord smile upon you!
Stay encourage ladies!
~Tiffany
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