It will look like self-control.

Oh boy, fruit of the Spirit looks like self-control? Why then do I see so many of us in Christ who are bearing fruit of:

• Angry words
• Over eating
• Indulgence
• Over spending
• Addiction
• Gossip
• Lack of trust

I have bombed this one a whole lot. Controlling my tongue is my utmost weakness. I am pretty sure James was speaking to me when he said, “No one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison” (Jm. 3:8).

In those moments when my husband is getting under my skin and biting insults are on the tip of my tongue, self control would cut those words down. I, however, tend to let those words shoot like daggers. My lack of self-control bears fruit of discord and strife.

For you it might not be words but food or money or a myriad of other unharnessed desires.

What about trust? Do you struggle to trust God, your husband or church leadership? Does your control look more like controlling everything else but self?

Ladies, I know most of us truly believe we know what’s best. We effortlessly slip into manipulating circumstances rather than surrendering control to the order God has put into action (1Cor.11:3). Even when we think our elders or our husbands are making a mistake, we have to control self and submit to their rightful authority. Let me tell you, I know this is hard stuff. But this is the stuff that bears the right fruit.

So what’s the problem? Where do we go miss the mark? Here’s where I think we go wrong. We willingly jump into the waters of baptism, but we struggle to leave the old woman in the grave. Instead, we resurrect the flesh that was supposed to die. Instead of walking in the Spirit, we come out of the grave dragging a dead body behind us. We walk in the wants of our flesh not the Spirit.

“Do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit “(Rom 8:4).
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).

Are we willing to choose the Spirit over another piece of cake, biting back at our husband or blowing money on stuff we didn’t really need? Are we willing to trust rather than control? This is where the rubber meets the road of faith. This is where we show if we bear fruit of the Spirit in self-control.

Serena DeGarmo
www.awordywoman.com