Fruit of the Spirit
Spiritual formation isn’t about self-improvement—it’s about becoming like Jesus. As we follow Him over time, something begins to take shape beneath the surface. Our desires change. Our reactions shift. Our character is slowly, often unevenly, formed into something new.
The Bible describes these changes as the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These outcomes are not personality traits or spiritual achievements. They are the visible result of a life being shaped by the Spirit of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
— GALATIANS 5:22-23
A Moment for Honest Reflection
Spend some time to pause and take notice—not to measure performance, but to examine formation.
- When life applies pressure, what tends to come out of you?
- When things don’t go your way, what shapes your responses?
- When others experience you up close, what kind of fruit do they taste?
Growth in Christ often shows up quietly and imperfectly. And where fruit feels thin or absent, that isn’t a cause for shame—it’s an invitation to clarity. God often uses what’s missing to reveal what He’s forming next.
What These Outcomes Reveal
Becoming like Jesus means growing in love, humility, patience, faith, and obedience—not as isolated virtues, but as a way of life. It means learning to live as Jesus lived: rooted in the Father, attentive to the Spirit, and oriented toward the good of others.
These outcomes don’t form in isolation. They are shaped through practices that train our hearts, through repentance that reorients our loves, through suffering and trials that refine our trust, and through everyday obedience that slowly rewires how we live.
In other words, the fruit of the Spirit isn’t just for personal growth—it’s for the sake of others and God’s mission in the world.
An Invitation Forward
