life in the Spirit, as my pastor would say, is not some mystical thing totally disconnected from the nitty-gritty, day-to-day life as we know it. rather, life in the Spirit is God’s design and provision for living, and it is the normal way of life for a follower of Christ. everyone who is in Christ will necessarily display the fruit of the Spirit.

God doesn’t give us a formula to figure out or a to-do list to work through. instead, He tells us to simply walk by the Spirit, based on what we know from the Bible, and when we do so, we will not carry out the desires of the flesh. i am also convinced that it is erroneous to view the Christian life as a life of giving things up or avoiding things. God does not call us to life in a vacuum. He does not desire simply to remove sin from our lives, but to fill those formerly sinful places with Himself - so that thieves become generous givers, so that murderers become doers of great kindness, so that the proud become humble servants.

i had always considered the lists of the evidences of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit (in the fifth chapter of galatians) as internal, personal things, and had occasionally used them as a mirror to my life, but since eight of the evidences of the flesh pertain directly to relationships, it would make sense to consider the fruit of the Spirit in regards to relationships with those within the Church and without.

what does life in the Spirit look like? that is, a life characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness) and self-control? it would be easy to construct laws to guide us as far as what not to do, but these laws would fall short of the radical nature of the Spirit’s fruit (and, again, God does not desire for us to live in a vacuum).

self-sacrifice is more loving than simply not murdering. overflowing with praise is more joyful than not complaining. loving oneness is more representative of peace than avoiding fights. being willing to suffer a long time is more patient than not demanding things. active love is more kind than not demeaning someone. an inner fountain of goodwill is better than not thinking evil. being loyal in commitments to God and people is more faithful than simply not quitting. the willingness to submit to Christ and yield my rights for the sake of my brothers and sisters in Christ is more gentle and meek than not being harsh or domineering. and desiring what God desires is better evidence of self-control than trying hard not to be un-disciplined.

if money, power, success, fame, comfort, new cars, prescription drugs, sex, partying, and all of those things really bring happiness and contentment as we are assured they do, we’d be living in a deliriously happy world. but take a look around, and it is clear that our world is broken, lost and hurting. so many are chasing after elusive things that will never bring contentment, and the evidences of the flesh are everywhere.

there are no formulas, no to-do lists. it is not a matter of just trying not to do something and hoping your determination will be strong enough, because as we should know by now, it never is, never for long.

so chase after God. ask Him to so capture your heart and your mind that the things this world holds up as satisfying - those empty, fleeting things - would fade away, and that the things you desire would come more and more in line with the things God wants for you - an abundant life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness/meekness and self-control. and may you be a light, for God’s sake, to lead people to Jesus.