The Fruit of the Spirit is SELF-CONTROL.
Over the course of the past week we have been considering the similarities between raging wildfires, and the raging lack of self-control we are observing in our world and in society all around us nowadays.
The Bible states:
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without SELF-CONTROL, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” -2 Timothy 3:1-4
Yes … this indeed is an accurate summation up the world we are living in.
So what do we do?? How do we respond??
1 Peter 4:7-10 offers us some very helpful, practical advice for how God would have us live in times such as these:
“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and SELF-CONTROLLED so that you can pray. Above all, LOVE each other deeply, because LOVE covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, FAITHFULLY administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
First and foremost … we need the Holy Spirit to empower us with SELF-CONTROL … so that we can remain clear minded … so that we can pray effectively! If our mind is not clear, we will not be able to hear the Holy Spirit speak to our soul. If our mind is not clear, we will not be in tune to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, or be aware of the Holy Spirit’s promptings to LOVE and serve others.
The Fruit of the Spirit, listed in Galatians 5:22-23, begins with LOVE and ends with SELF-CONTROL. LOVE and SELF-CONTROL are the bookends for everything else. Everything flows out of LOVE … but it all rises and falls on SELF-CONTROL.
Our background photo for today shows an early-morning work commute across Lake Washington. The beautiful view of the Cascade Mountains in the distance is obscured by dense thick smoke from wildfires. So also, as we gaze out at our own future, it feels as if all is obscured by the “smoke” of society “burning down.” The future seems rather hopeless. It doesn’t feel as if we can plan or dream of any future at all anymore. What is going to happen??
No matter what happens, God has us here for a reason! God has placed us right here, in this place, in this city, in this job, with these people. Right now … for a reason!
So we rise each new day … we head to work each new day … and we do the next right thing! Each day … the next right thing! Guided, directed, protected, and empowered by the Holy Spirit!
