Women Living Well Blog: Love - The First Fruit of the Spirit

In Galatians 5:22, 23 it says "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

Are you walking in the Spirit? If you are, you will be exhibiting love and not just the type of the love that the world gives - but God's love. The wonderful thing about the Holy Spirit is he won't just change your life - he will change your day - today!

What is love? I Corinthians 13:4-8 defines it for us - as you read ask yourself if this defines you? "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails."

The most perfect example of God's love is shown in Matthew 27:27-31:

"Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify Him."

Do you feel Christ's pain as you read that passage - or have you become so familiar with His suffering that you skim the passage? Do you feel His love? As we grow in our walk with God, His grace becomes greater, His death more wonderful, the work of the Spirit more powerful, your sin gets uglier, the devil more heinous, and the celebration of his love louder!

Loving others starts with understanding God's magnificent love for us and loving him back in return with our entire heart, soul, mind and strength. Once you have given him your deepest affection of love you are able, in the Spirit, to love your neighbor as yourself.

So, go today and walk in the Spirit. Reflect God's amazing love to your husband, children, in-laws, sister's in Christ and your neighbors. Give grace and mercy freely because it has been given to you. Strive, work hard, and discipline yourself to be a loving person.

Walk with the King!