I hope this blog series hasn’t bogged you down in the weeds of ‘behaving.’ Satan wants us to view obedience like a checklist, a way of earning our salvation.

What do we do when we mess up?

Is our focus on behaving or beholding the God who is our helper and sustainer?

“Self-control is the believer’s wall of defense against the sinful desires that wage war against his soul.”

Self-control is self-denial.

Do our thought patterns show our pride and create idols that hinder us from accessing the Spirit’s power to resist our sinful desires?

Let’s reflect on how self-control overlaps with all the other fruit of the Spirit and how we are free from the chains of self-satisfaction.

‘“Gentleness will demonstrate respect for the personal dignity of the other person. Where necessary, it will seek to change a wrong opinion or attitude by persuasion and kindness, not by domination or intimidation.”

When we discipline our children do they feel like their bad choices have separated them from our love?

Are we reasonable or dogmatic and inflexible?

Let’s reflect on how we can respect our children when we discipline them and make them feel heard and loved. Jesus was gentle and lowly and we should exemplify his love and humility even as we assert truth.

“The faith that we possess indicates whether or not we truly remember God in his proper place. It proclaims whether or not we believe that He is the author of all creation and the cradle of all life with perfect authority over us and the world.”

Is faith conditional?

What does faithfulness look like?

Let’s reflect on ways that God has been faithful and how we can teach it to our kids.

“Kindness is the inner disposition, created by the Holy Spirit, that causes us to be sensitive to the needs of others, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Goodness is kindness in action— words and deeds.”

How can we be kind when others take it for granted?

Is it worth it to be good if we can’t readily see the benefits?

Is God really good?

Let’s reflect on how we can be kind and good to our children when our generosity goes unnoticed and what our motives should be in the first place.

“At its core, patience is the action of submitting to others rather than to our own desires.”

Patience in parenting is no joke.

Waiting is hard.

Let’s reflect on how both aspects of patience- submission and waiting- look as a parent.

Is peace active or passive?

Does it make any sense?

How can we have peace in our home when we see such a broken world?

Let’s reflect on how to make peace with God, with ourselves, and with others.

Is there a difference between joy and happiness?

Is God happy?

What steals our joy?

Let’s reflect on how we can find joy in our kids and in being a mom.

“Love gives, even at great cost to itself.” (Bridges)

The first trait in Paul’s list is love. This shows prominence. All the traits are important but “love binds all the other virtues together in perfect unity.” 

The fruit of the Spirit are relational.

Love, in its essence, involves more than…

“When we abide in the Spirit, we take on a new nature in Christ, we are no longer branches bound for death. We are now grafted into a living, fruitful vine which causes us to bear good fruit.” — Sarah Morrison, The Fruit of the Spirit

Are the fruit of the Spirit too familiar to us?

I think about being a mom to my kids. I think about how I see their sin nature daily. And how I respond with my sin nature.

Am I kind and gentle or harsh? Am I patient or impatient? Am I self-controlled when I’m frustrated and weary or am I reactive in ways I have to apologize to them for later?