Fruit of the Spirit Family Devotional

One of the marks of a believer growing in Christ is evidence of fruit of the Spirit, and family devotional times can nurture and encourage the prayer and growth to sustain it. The fruit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 are positive results cultivated from Christian harmony, and the best way to prepare a believer – young or old – for growing in and showing Christ to those around her is through family time in the Word.

Encouragement from Family in Growing in the Spirit

Family devotional settings provide not only encouragement for growth in the Spirit but also follow the will of God in growing family closeness. The wise saying, “The family that eats together, stays together” is mirrored by the saying that “the family that prays together, stays together.”

God’s design for the children to be taught in way of the Lord involves parents at every stage. His wisdom can be found in Scripture like Proverbs 22:6 where it says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

How warm a family is, and how well it shows the fruit of the Spirit to children is related to time spent in Bible study and prayer.

Siblings can encourage one another as they go through school and play times, especially when a younger brother or sister needs help. “Kids will be kids” is common in the world as it is in those families with a Biblical world view, and younger children can find themselves in troubling situations. But having a big sister or brother there to help guide youngsters in the Spirit can be a blessing that pays off for a lifetime. Those are treasured moments made possible by family devotionals.

Faithfulness to Study and Spirit-Filled Growth

One need only study Job to learn about trials of faithfulness, yet we are encouraged and commanded to remain faithful to the Lord and His teaching. Wrapping your mind around the fruit of the Spirit involves looking past the hurdles and hoops required by the law – and shows Grace in its grand beauty.

While our Lord faithfully kept the law and provided a perfect sacrifice for our salvation, our faithfulness to study Him and grow in Him and enjoy the fruit of the Spirit is often challenging. Elizabeth Hemen, in her book, Jesus with Skin, shows that some fruit are more challenging than others.

Funny, then, how bearing fruit can be oftentimes a matter of observation rather than grunting, difficult work. In fact, bearing fruit is a very passive act because no matter how hard you push you can’t produce fruit. The fruit is a product of time, simply put, and depends on God’s watering and His schedule.

Lessons on the Fruit of the Spirit Found in Galatians 5:22

Study the fruit of the Spirit. Understanding the Spirit-filled life requires looking at different circumstances and seeing where the Lord is leading. Lesson One: the Lord’s plan may not necessarily be the plan you had in mind. Sometimes your comfort zone is challenged, other times you may learn of a whole different sphere of watching Christ work through you.

Show the rewards – to self and others – of growing in the Spirit. It’s not about jumping through hoops or overcoming hurdles to meet someone’s expectations, but rather about showing Christ to those around you. Let Christ shine in your life, and you’ll experience more abundant fruit. Pray for understanding.

Faithfully look for opportunities to show the fruit of the Spirit. Real world applications are abundant – there are so many ways to show Christ to the world. Elizabeth Hemen, in Jesus With Skin, writes several bite-size segments showing application areas for even the busiest people (introvert or extrovert).