I can still look back on my life and cringe at the person I once was. Not that, at the time, I thought anything needed to change, but the Holy Spirit walked with me to show who God had called me to be, and that naturally (over time) changed my perspective, my thoughts, my hopes and dreams, but most of all, it changed my actions.
Once upon a time, I was crass. I didn’t care what I said about others, and pretty much every second word was vulgar. Yet, I don’t know when my life began to change. There are some things that I could consciously say that I was more aware of (once I gave my life to Christ) – for instance, the swearing. It was as if my vocabulary had been highlighted internally and my words suddenly had meaning and emphasis, so any swear words, it was almost like a pause in time, where the Holy Spirit would be showing me how much I would let my tongue speak death to others.
I have realised that this is proof of God working in my life, in that my thoughts, words, and actions have changed, and I am no longer a slave to what I once was. Through the Holy Spirit, I now have the power to choose to make a different decision, and although I don’t always get it right, I am no longer a slave to sin.
Over the next few days, I want to go through the fruits of the Spirit to show precisely what the Spirit does within our lives. Yet, more importantly, I hope that we will realise that we no longer need instant gratification from the world because we value the long-term good instead.
Self-control is knowing that we are free from Satan’s clasp, and therefore, we live in the fullness that God shows us and love as Jesus does, every day!
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,”
Titus 2:11-12
Categories: Fruits of the Spirit
