But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
Dear heavenly Father, to start with, thank you for sealing me with your Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22), indwelling me by your Spirit (Rom. 8:9), and transforming me through the Spirit’s work (2 Cor. 3:18). It’s my only hope, and overwhelming joy. Yes, indeed, I want my life to me marked more fully by this kind of fruit—the Spirit’s fruit.
Love – Father, keep me alive to how much Jesus loves me; for Jesus’ love is compelling and transforming, and it sabotages my every excuse for loving poorly.
Joy – Transcending my circumstances—hard ones and delightful ones, give me a core of joy, Father—your joy.
Peace – Father, may your peace trump my worries and fears, my unbelief and foolish penchant for trying to control things and people. You are God, and I am not.
Patience – Father, my hurried spirit, inflexibility and lack of spontaneity often rob me (and others) of being present and enjoying the moment. Forgive and free me.
Kindness – Help me to major in kindness over rightness, Father. There is always enough of your grace for being kind. I have no excuses for curtness or rudeness.
Goodness – Father, I know my good works earn me “squat”; but your goodness in me is a mercy magnet for people needing hope and help. Grant me more gospel-goodness.
Faithfulness – Forgive me when I make promises lightly, and/or fail to follow through on little stuff and big stuff. Great is your faithfulness—that’s not just a great hymn; it’s who you are. Make me more like you.
Gentleness – Gentle my rough edges, harsh words, and quick reactions, Father. Cultivate a non-anxious spirit within me that welcomes the broken.
Self-control - Whether it’s with my eating or speaking, my listening or my spending, my exercise or spiritual discipline—Father, forgive me for confusing laziness with grace, and empower me for the freedom of self-control and taking responsibility for myself.
There is no law against these things!
Father, thank you that it’s impossible to be too zealous for the Spirit’s fruit; we cannot go “overboard” with wanting to be like Jesus. You began this work in our lives, and you will bring it to completion. Show us what living by the Spirit looks like—how to surrender, how to trust, how to hope. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ loving and powerful name.
