Fruit of the Spirit

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year!  As I was listening to the news on the radio in my car, there came a segment where they were asking people how the past year of 2025 was for them and how they thought the new approaching year of 2026 would be. They asked if this year was good for them and if their goals were achieved, and if they thought 2026 would be better, and if new goals would be set.  With the end of one year and the approach of the new year, it is almost inevitable that we reflect on how our lives have been, what goals we have achieved, or are still working on, and so forth.  

For us Christ followers, if there is one goal that we should always be striving for and God continuously working in us, it is the goal to be more like Jesus Christ. The main goal of every Christian is to ask God to help us in conforming to the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18, Rom. 8:29). Meaning, as our relationship with God deepens, we become more and more Christ-like in our character, positive attributes, and faithfulness/obedience to God. We are supposed to take on more of Christ’s image as our relationship grows. In Galatians 5:22-24, the Apostle Paul encourages the Galatian church to grow in that image by growing in the fruit of the Spirit, where he wrote,

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

This is also in contrast to the works of the flesh seen in Galatians 5:16-21.

When reflecting on the main goal of our lives in the past year, one would have to ask, how have we grown in the fruit of the Spirit, and what are some areas in our lives that we need to repent and be more faithful to God in?  One great way to help reflect is to ask some of our trusted friends and church family (who will give honest answers) if we have grown in the list of Galatians 5:22-24.  Once we get the feedback and admonishment, it will help us to pray to God for the new upcoming year to give us strength and difficulties to continue to grow in Christ’s image and bless God and others around us.  I pray for myself and all of us that we can take the time to reflect, receive feedback and admonishment, and ask God to give us the strength to stay on track with this race towards Christ.

Love in Christ,
Pastor Edgar