The fruit of the Spirit give a sure sign of transformed character. When our deepest attitudes and dispositions are those of Jesus, it is because we have learned to let the Spirit foster his life in us.
Maturity
Kris Vallotton
Even very gifted people are not necessarily mature Christians. They may not even have good character. Therefore, it is important for us to recognize that the gifts of the Spirit do not validate our walk with God. They can never serve as the measuring stick for spiritual maturity. Rather, it is the fruit of the Spirit that is developed as a person matures in Christ. The Greek word for gift is charis or charisma, which means favor that one receives without any merit of his or her own. The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence of maturity in our lives. This fruit grows in our lives as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us—not just through us.
Nancy Boyd-Sherman
It’s funny how fragile my faith is after so many years of walking with Jesus. You would think I had matured past this point, but the choice to trust is a daily exercise it seems. And He is faithful. Faithful to wait for me to realize I feel distant, faithful to wait until I realize I do not hear a well as I know is possible. When I ask what has come between us, He is faithful to step in with truth – not accusation. Truth. The truth of what lies I’ve partnered with and how I’ve harboured accusation, hurt, offense, and fear in my heart that crowd out His spirit. He reveals his truth about my lack of forgiveness for myself and others. This truth does not just lay me bare, it offers restoration to intimacy. I ask myself how many times will he forgive the weakness of my faith and restore me? He responds “As many times as is needed.”
David Wilkerson
Are you becoming more sweet-spirited, more like Jesus? Are you looking soberly in the mirror each day and praying, ‘Lord, I want to conform to Your image in every area of my life’? Or has your bitterness taken root, turning into rebellion and hardness of heart? Have you learned to shield yourself from the convicting voice of God’s Spirit?
Ray Johnston
You have no control over how your friends treat you but you have absolute control over whether your spiritual batteries are charged. If they are, you’ll have strength even when your friends are trying to take you down the road you don’t want to go.
Bill Johnson
The eleven tribal leaders wanted Aaron’s position, they didn’t consider him worthy. But the next morning they got up in Aaron’s rod had sprouted had buds, blossoms and ripe almonds. The point of anointed leadership is life; not just ripe moments, not just maturity. All leaders have to have maturity but they must also have areas where they’re just starting to learn. Kingdom leaders are marked by their continual development.
Lois Tverberg
Speaking of our tendency to imitate, I find that my own mind seems remarkably malleable, impressed by whatever I read or see modeled around me. A steady diet of cynical political commentary always makes me more negative. Being with friends who gossip can make me more careless about how I speak. None of us is so mature that we cannot be influenced. The question is: Who or what do we want to shape our lives? Even the culture around us will try to ‘disciple’ us if we have not placed ourselves under the transforming influence of Jesus Christ.
Chris Mathis
Your peace in this season will determine your pace in this season.
Thomas Merton
Souls are like athletes, that need opponents worthy of them, if they are to be tried and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers, and rewarded according to their capacity.
Watchman Nee
Today, even amongst Christians, there can be found much of that spirit that wants to give as little as possible to the Lord, and yet to get as much as possible from Him. The prevailing thought today is of being used, as though that were the one thing that mattered. That my little rubber band should be stretched to the very limit seems all important. But this is not the Lord’s mind. The Lord wants us to be used, yes; but what He is after is that we pour all we have, ourselves, to Him, and if that be all, that is enough.