“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)Please take a moment and listen to this song:
https://youtu.be/4LXbWz8efgw
Dear Precious Friends,
On this Fill our Soul Sunday and I pray you can shut out all the , noise the world brings via phone, internet, tv, social media, etc.. and spend time with our Lord BEING STILL... It's very amazing that He tells us over and over again how to hear from Him... BE STILL... AND KNOW I AM GOD... How do we know? We have to be still... in our crazy world where so much noise comes at us is the evil one trying to distract us from our one on one time with the Lord... How many times have you woken up and grabbed your phone to scroll through Social Media before you invite the Lord into your day asking only to hear His voice, His truth and walk in the Spirit..???
We have been studying the fruits of the spirit and asking the Lord to show us the areas we need to work on as we mature in our walk with Him....
As the Holy Spirit works in our lives, our character is transformed. In the areas of our lives where we once held onto sin, which reflects our human nature, we can now possess the fruits of the Spirit and reflect God’s character. Talk about giving meaning to being new creatures in Christ and being made new.... WOW WOW WOW.. it is only by the grace of God we are given this incredible gift of being transformed and reflecting His character.
The fruit of the Spirit we are studying today is goodness. So, what does this mean, and how can it be applied to our lives? Just like physical fruit need time to grow, the fruit of the Spirit will not ripen in our lives overnight. As we mature in our faith, all the characteristics of our spiritual fruits will grow as well.
What exactly is goodness? The word ‘good’ is used so frequently in our everyday lives that it almost loses its meaning. For example, how many times a day do we say, “good morning” and “good luck” and “good work”? But, the Bible tells us that the word ‘good’ actually means holy, pure and righteousness. Literally goodness is Godliness.
Goodness can often be seen in our actions, but our heart also has to be pure. The goodness of Christ is to be demonstrated in our lives every day. Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
God calls us to be filled with goodness from the inside out, being holy in what we do and say because Christians should have a heart that seeks goodness. We are not to just do good works, because doing good works without a good heart is empty.
The ‘goodness’ described as a fruit of the Spirit is not merely moral behavior, but an excellence of character. This goodness is only possible through God’s grace and mercy.
The true meaning of the word “goodness” is commonly overlooked, though. Goodness is action; it’s not something we do only for the sake of being virtuous.
When we strive to be “good” only for our own benefit, it is not truly goodness that we possess. In Greek, the word goodness, “agathosune,” means “an uprightness of heart and life” (Thayer & Strong, 1995).
When we act out of true goodness of the heart and reflect the fruit of the Spirit, we are obedient to God’s commandments and seek the benefit of others. Our actions come from a place of selflessness, and we place the needs of others before our own.
Does this sound familiar?
The life of Jesus Christ is the perfect example of goodness, as He died on the cross for the sins of humanity in order to give us the gift of eternal life. His ministry and sacrifice is an example of God’s goodness toward mankind. After all, the term “gospel” means “good news.”
Jesus is called the “Good Shepherd” in Scripture, because He laid down His life for His sheep.
We are called as Christians to live in a way that reflects the character of Christ. Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Goodness is not about doing elaborate things to gain recognition. Oftentimes, it is the small acts of goodness we do throughout our day that mean the most to those around us.
Is your friend having a bad day? Write them a note to let them know how much you care about them. Is someone putting you down? Pray for them.
It is in these acts of goodness that we reflect Christ’s character and possess the fruit of the Spirit. While it may seem like no one notices, God does. Ultimately, when we show goodness, we bring glory to God’s name. May we learn obedience by the things that we go through in life, so that we too may be enabled to pray in spirit and truth. Let us examine our hearts today to see where we are in this Fruit of the Spirit Goodness and remember it truly means Godliness.
Father, Thank you for your truth. Thank you for your word that reminds us how we are to live. Forgive us that we fall so short and we humbly ask for forgiveness for the sins we commit and thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for the fruit you bring to us when we walk in your ways. Speak to our hearts your truth as we desire to grow in Holiness and Godliness yet only you are Holy and Godly and we fall so short. Help us to see with your eyes and live our lives according to your ways, your truths and your life.
Amen.