Kristen Grossman Prose

Fruit of the Spirit: Producing Bounty in Barren Seasons

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22

As I sit to write about goodness, I think about what that word embodies to me. In my mind, “goodness” speaks of light, beauty, purity, and love. It goes beyond being “good” at something. It’s not just being good at school, good at sports, or good at art. Furthermore, it goes beyond being a “good girl” or “doing good.” 

I certainly have tried many times to be “good.” And many times, I have failed. During the past weeks of sheltering-at-home, I have tried again and again to stick to healthy eating habits and daily exercise. Whenever I reach for a third helping of that comforting pasta dish or skip my morning walk or workout video, I feel like a failure.

Similarly, I have pledged many times to speak to my family with patience and kindness. Yet, I find myself snapping at them, scowling at them, or nagging them. Then, yet again, I feel like I am not a good enough, kind enough, lovable enough wife and mother.

However, the Bible doesn’t order us to simply do good things or be good people. In fact, it confirms that we were born with sinful human natures. I can’t sustain being good on my own for very long. Praise the Lord; God recognizes this fact. My sinfulness is the very reason He sent his only Son to pay the price for our human misdeeds and failures.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

It is clear that I can’t cultivate goodness in my life all on my own. I will never measure up, never be good enough, never be kind or loving or responsible enough if I rely on my own power. This is where the power of Jesus comes in. I realize that only by focusing on Him, experiencing Him, can I hope to truly reflect his goodness in my own life.

Fortunately, there are several ways to experience the goodness of God.

The Bible

God has given us the Scriptures. By immersing ourselves in his inspired Word, we can experience his goodness and love. Furthermore, we can read about his beloved servants, who, despite their own failures, were loved and treasured and used for good. (Check out the lives of Moses, David, and Samson to see what I mean.)

The Holy Spirit

God has given us the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and intercedes with God on our behalf. “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5

Prayer

Our Father God is so loving and kind, He allows us to into His presence to speak to Him. By engaging in prayer, we have the ear of the Creator of our souls. This is powerful. I may not be able to be good on my own, but I can ask my Heavenly Father to show me where I am falling short and ask him to soften my heart and help me reflect his goodness. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Accountability Partners

God also speaks to us through the voices of trusted friends or mentors who encourage us when we need reassurance, hold our hands when we are hurting, and speak hard truths to us when we are messing up. A prayer partner who handles our hearts gently while holding us accountable is a true gift of God, and one who can help us to both experience and shine forth the goodness of God. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” Hebrews 10:24-25

I’m so thankful that God didn’t just create us and then abandon us to our own devices. He is a very real presence. He listens, instructs, and provides for us. All we have to do is seek him.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you that you do not expect me to be good all on my own. Help me to seek you, and thereby experience and reflect your goodness to others. Amen.

If you would like a copy of my PDF entitled, 5 Verses for Focusing on Faith Instead of Fear, subscribe to my blog, and I will be glad to send you a copy. 💙