I believe this scripture embodies all the “secrets” to a happy, fulfilling life. So much of our lives, we focus on all the ‘things’ we want, rather than focusing on living in a way that will bring us what we really want- happiness. What are the secrets to a happy, fulfilling life? Follow me (at your own risk) through my scriptural interpretation.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galations 5:22-23
Peace
Peace is what you get when you can accept who you are and what is within you. You may not find peace when you look at the outside world, but with a heart full of (unconditional) love, you can find (and embrace) a sense of peace. Peace, as the famous quote says, does “not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”
Love
At the end of the day, if you have unconditional love, you have won the greatest of prizes; everything else is just icing on the cake. Unconditional love, when you accept and embrace it, gives you the courage to accept and embrace your whole self, flaws & all, because you are able to see yourself through the eyes of someone who loves ALL of you. We often struggle to love ourselves, finding ‘lack’ within us. Unconditional love, if we allow it, liberates us from our insecurities. In the end, LOVE is always part of the answer.
Joy
Joy is defined as a feeling of great happiness, but it is so much more. Whenever I hear the phrase “my cup runneth over”, it makes me think of joy—unadulterated, unrestrained, unstoppable joy. Joy is an attitude of the heart- and it is powerful because it CAN coexist with the harder emotions we encounter in life – fear, sadness, grief and anger. Joy can suffuse and transform the hard emotions. Simply, surrender to joy.
Patience
Patience is… the wait. The wait can be the most telling sign of… understanding, grace, and maturity. Patience is as much about the journey as it is the destination. Patience keeps us grounded through life’s trials. Patience, with grace, is what helps us build our character. Patience may also be about transformation. Just as a butterfly must go through a metamorphism as it transitions from life as a caterpillar, patience can be a major piece of the transformative work happening within us. In the waiting, we can recognize what is truly important. Time and our waiting, can help us strip away the insignificant, inconsequential and nonsensical.
Kindness
Kindness is loaning someone your strength instead of reminding them of their weakness.
Goodness
Good people bring out the good in other people.
Faithfulness
“Let your faith be bigger than your fear.”
Gentleness
Gentleness takes strength.
Self-control
While the idea of self-control might instinctively feel restrictive, it is liberating. Giving in to our base desires limits us in our pursuit of excellence.
Self-control is not about obeying the stop sign to avoid getting a citation or prevent an accident; it is about recognizing and accepting our role and responsibilities as a driver on the road. That same concept applies in all aspects of our lives. If you are only productive and on-task when your boss is monitoring your progress and performance, you lack adequate mastery of self-control.
Conforming to other’s expectations without internalizing and understanding your own reasoning reflects neither self-control nor ambition. Doing what needs to be done, doing the right thing and persevering through adversity requires self-control.
I talk about choice a lot. Now, at this moment, as always, we have a choice.
We can choose to be people who love and spread joy. We can be people committed to demonstrating kindness and goodness. We can be people who practice faithfulness, even in times of challenge and adversity. We can embody gentleness in how we speak, act and treat others. We can exercise self-control and strive for not only having the good things in life, but being a good thing in the lives of those around us.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
