Home

Author: Laura Coyle, from the Charis Community in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The Fruits of the Spirit - Day 7: Gentleness and Self-control

In the book of Titus, it says, “Remind them... to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” (Titus 3:1-2)

A refreshing slice of watermelon on a hot summer’s day does much to hydrate and refresh.

Take a deep breath, count to three, and exhale. Slow down. Fruit needs oxygen, water and light to grow. So too, the fruits of the Holy Spirit require time, practice and knowledge. Taking a deep breath can help us gather our thoughts, cool down, and process the busyness of our brains. Words of disrespect, actions of violence, and bad intentions will often come from a busy mind, full of conflicting thoughts and feelings. Taking a breath and putting ourselves in the gentle hands of the Lord, we allow the fruits of self-control and gentleness to grow in us. Our fight is not just against the world, but also against the flesh and the devil. The blossoming fruits of the Holy Spirit are intended in times of battle to be used as weapons, gentle yet powerful. There is no law against the fruits of the Spirit. When these fruits blossom, there is nothing to be said to stop them from doing what they are intended to do.

The blossoming of self control can be seen in yielding to the movements of the Holy Spirit in our lives. With gentleness as our companion, the result of the blossomed fruits in our lives will be the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

Choose one area of your life to render to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to lead and see the fruits of the self-control manifest in your daily life.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved..