The Fruits of the Spirit: Love

Galatians 5: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

What profound scriptures! If we could just focus on the Fruits of the Spirit, what a life we would have! In order to possess the fruits of the spirit, we must first be filled with the Holy Spirit so that God can operate in us and build our character. The spirit allows us to be more in tune with God's word. Sometimes the spirit operates in me in such a profound way, but then other times I wonder if it is even there! I know that it is there because God is always with me. I recognize that the latter happens when I have the wrong "junk" going on in me. When I get too bombarded with the things of the world, it weighs on my spiritual man and then I am not able to perform on the level that God expects of me (which keeps me from possessing the fruits of the spirit in its entirety).

I would like to breakdown the Fruits of the Spirit and do this particular blog in a series because you all that know me well, know that I can be a bit long winded! lol Let 's first start off with love.

Oh, good old love! We all love to be in love! I think one thing that messes a lot of us up with love is that we think it's strictly an emotion. So many marriages end because people think I'll have this gorgeous wedding, the house with the picket fence, and we'll walk off in the sunset! Screeeeech! Reverse! No ma'am. That's not exactly how it works, but when you go in blindsided like that, you want to quit! I know when I first got married I was like, "I didn't sign up for this!" Don't get me wrong, I would not trade my husband for all of the tea in China, but we've hit quite a few bumps in the road! That's where "in love" has to take a backseat and agape love has to move on in.

We have to have agape love for one another. Agape love is defined as a love that is always giving, never to be taken. Now that's some strong stuff, but do we truly know what that entails? God loves each of us with agape love. Think about all of the things that you do that is not in line with God's words. Think about all of the senseless violence that goes on everyday. Look at the condition of our world. God loves us unconditionally through all of that. 1 John 4:8 says, "He who does not LOVE does not know God, for God is love." God is love, he is our father, so we inturn have to exhibit that same kind of love. We like to love through the good times, but your love walk is tested when that husband walks in at 3 a.m. or if someone gets in your face and calls you everything, but the child of God. It's hard but we have to make LOVE a habit! We must love through the pain, the hurt, the disappointments, and the mistakes.

My mother in law once told me, "In order to love your husband and your children, you must fall in love with the Lord first." That stuck with me. It took me a while to get it, but boy when I did! It took my relationship with the Lord to a whole other level. When I started giving God that attention like I was giving my husband (which by the way would be classified in some states as a stalker), he made everything right! I do not have to worry about anything! Matthew 22:37-38 says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." Now if it is the first and the greatest, y'all need to get on board. If we surrender to God, submit to his will, and give Him our all, he will make everything else right!

I challenge each of you to read 1 John 4: 7-21. It talks about loving as Christ loved. Verse 12 says, "No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us." God has done all of the work. All we have to do is love! The next time your husband does something to tee you off, love him! I have made love such a habit with my husband that when we are having a disagreement about something I'll just say, "I love you!" in the nicest tone possible with a smile! At first he would say, you just saying that because you know you're wrong." Now he realizes I refuse to give the devil not one piece of my ground. God leads me to get whatever issue it is resolved by any means necessary!

If you don't know what love is, read 1 Corinthians 13: 1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Let's make LOVE a habit! I hope you all have a beautiful and blessed day!!!

Joy is next!

Tarrah