The Christian life is not about trying hard to do the right thing or acting good. It is not about praying more, reading your bible more, going to church all the time, loving enough, or giving enough. It is not about trying to love more, feel more joy, or have enough patience, peace, and kindness. The Christian life is not about pursuing God. It is about possessing God and being possessed by God. While there is obviously nothing wrong with any of those things, believing we have to achieve them is exhausting.

When Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits,” He wasn’t saying that your behavior determines who you are but that your behavior displays Who you are. As a child of God, you have the Spirit of God inside you, and His Spirit produces the fruit that you have the privilege and responsibility (response to His ability) to express. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control are not experiences to pursue, they are possessions to express. This frees us from the burden and frustration of trying to live the Christian life as we realize the incredible reality that we have the Christian life and His name is Jesus. This is grace!

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

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