Setting Your Mind on Fruit

Scripture: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3

Observation: From prison, Paul appeals to the church at Ephesus to be unified, for they share the one faith in the one true God, through the one Messiah, as one body of Christ. His instruction provides them with the qualities they need to maintain that unity, and the adjectives he uses are ... humble, gentle, patient, forbearing, peace. Four of these are directly from the fruits of the spirit, while humility certainly aligns to the qualities of love, kindness, goodness, and self control.

Application: I continue to seek the fruits of the spirit, and these qualities are aligned to those I lack. I am missing peace in my mind. I am not a gentle or patient person. I seek - and am actively learning - humility daily. In general, my mind simply is too ... angry ... most of the time.

I have been working the last few days on proper management of my mind. I have repeated the lesson to "set my mind on things above" repeatedly. It is working! However, I have much more improvement to go. I desire this quality to become my very nature, not an effort to be practices. In this way, it seems focusing on these qualities may be a way to set my mind on God's will and kingdom. I can seek ways that I may ... be gentle toward others, forbear other's burdens, become a peacemaker in stressful times, and be totally patient in circumstances.

Setting my mind on things above, and seeking internal improvement in the fruits of the spirit, go together.

Prayer: Lord, this day I seek your hand again during my daily walk. May I only walk humbly with you today. On that path, I do wish to turn my mind and heart to your kingdom and your will. May I seek that path through the Holy Spirit, who can give me a new heart in all matters. Thank you for your love, patience, and gentleness in address my failures. I only wish to pay those forward in your name. Amen.