Choosing Love

God has called us to live differently — to live set apart.

In Galatians 5, we are given a picture of what a life led by the Holy Spirit looks like. These are

not personality traits. They are not things we manufacture on our own. They are evidence of the

Holy Spirit living and working inside of us.

But walking in the Spirit is not passive. It is something we choose daily as we surrender our

flesh, our emotions, and our circumstances to Christ.

Each week, we will focus on one Fruit of the Spirit and what it looks like to live it out in our

everyday lives — in our marriages, in our families, and in the world around us.

This week, we are focusing on Love.

Galatians 5:22–25

When we read Galatians 5:22–25, we are given a beautiful picture of what life looks like when

we are walking closely with the Holy Spirit. The very first fruit listed is love — and that speaks

deeply to our hearts, especially because God has called us into a ministry centered around

Choosing Love.

The Fruits of the Spirit are gifts given to us by God through His Spirit living inside of us. They

are not forced on us. Instead, they are something we are invited to step into. They are something

we get to choose to walk in each day as we surrender ourselves to Him.

Earlier in Galatians 5, Paul reminds us that there is a very real battle happening inside of each of

us — a battle between the desires of our flesh and the desires of the Spirit. The two are in conflict

with one another. One pulls us toward selfishness, pride, and temporary satisfaction. The other

pulls us toward Jesus, toward freedom, and toward true life.

The fruit we produce is evidence of which voice we are following. It becomes the outward

expression of what is happening inside our hearts. It shows the world — and especially those

closest to us — who we belong to.

So we have to ask ourselves:

How am I showing my spouse the love of Christ?

How am I showing my children the love of Christ?

How am I showing the world around me that I am different because I belong to Him?

Choosing love is not always easy. Sometimes it means dying to our pride.

Sometimes it means offering forgiveness when it isn’t deserved.

Sometimes it means staying kind when we feel hurt.

Sometimes it means serving when we would rather be served.