FRUITFUL

Parenting is not always an easy task.  We love our children deeply, but sometimes their behavior can be challenging, their activity levels exhausting, their choices disappointing, and their reactions confusing.  We can be left wondering what to do?

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." (John 14:16,17)

As Christians, God has given us his Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit works in us to help us, He gives wisdom and strength.  He also changes us from the inside and causes us to bear fruit.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Gal 5:23 – 24)

I long for even more of this fruit in my relationship with my children.  I would like to be more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self controlled with them.  I can't do it by trying harder in my own strength, but as I abide in God his Spirit works in me to produce these fruit.

Consider, which of these fruit would you most like to see more of in your relationship with your children?  Let us pray and ask God for more of His transforming power in our lives and for an increase in this fruit.

Lucy