We often implore our Heavenly Father to give us more
patience, love, peace, joy, compassion, faith and strength. What we do not
realize is that we already have all of the fruit of the Spirit resident within
us through our salvation in Christ. God's Spirit and all of the attributes of
God are already available to us.
The issue preventing them from manifesting is our flesh.
Our flesh often masquerades as God's direction and we follow the wrong path.
When seeking God's will, we are looking for a billboard, a loud speaker or a
flashing neon sign, but it never comes. Our human reasoning quickly drowns out
God's true guidance.
We second guess our first impression and miss God. God
directs us from His Spirit within our spirit in a barely recognizable
impression or thought. God's is a still, small voice, which is often
overwhelmed by the cacophony of life's trials and demands. As we submit our
desires and thoughts to God's Spirit and obey His direction for each moment of
our day, we live in peace and rest.
It is only as we decrease, that Christ in us can increase (John
3:30). The more we minimize the influence of our flesh, the world
and the devil in our life, the more we are able to access the fruit, gifts and
power of the Trinity within us. God already has our life planned out for us (Ephesians
2:10; Psalm 139:16). We never need to deal with life in our own wisdom
and resources.
Prayer:
Father God, nothing occurs in our life that is not already
part of Your plan for us. There is no need to fear, attempt to control or to
worry about our present and future circumstances. We can take a deep breath and
exhale all of the tension and stress caused by negative emotions and life's
events; then breathe in Your peaceful presence in all of its fullness. Even
negative circumstances are a new adventure, because You are in control. You are
not bound by time and You have an eternal perspective. You know the end from
the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).
Thought for the Day:
Christ in us is our glorious hope for a fulfilled life and
our eternal reality. - Galatians 2:20
