Actions & Attitudes
A
difficult lesson for all followers of Christ is that our spiritual
fruit can come in 2 forms: fruit of activity & fruit of attitude.
Activity, obviously, refers to the things that we do, the works we
accomplish for the Lord. While these deeds can be wonderful, we cannot
always trust them. Jesus Himself warned about the error of placing too
much confidence in our actions (Matt. 7:21-23). The fruit of attitude,
however, is a far better indication of what is happening in our
spirits. You see, as the Holy Spirit works in our lives, His fruit is
manifested 1st in our attitudes. As we come under the influence of His
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, & self-control, our inward attitudes will begin to
affect our outward behavior. The change comes from within as the
Holy Spirit modifies our thinking (Rom. 12:2). This inner attitude
transformation is squarely in line w/the very definition of repentance:
a change of mind that results in a change of behavior. When we give
the Holy Spirit free reign in our lives & focus on our growth in
Him, we will begin to notice changes in our thoughts & deeds. It is
as though when we are filled w/the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is
simply the natural outflow of what is happening within our hearts. Then
we can't help but show the world what sets us apart as different. This
does not mean that we will always succeed. Will I be able to love
everyone at every moment? Will I always be joyful? No, I won't. Our
momentary shortcomings do not make us spiritual failures. Remember, we
are still living in a dark & sinful world, & our spirits are
always engaged in battle w/outside influences. However, when we begin
to emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit by listening to God's leading
& applying His Word, we will begin an unprecedented time of growth
& maturity that will result in a complete change of our
personalities & priorities.
