Devotional: Fruits of the sin nature and spirit
Todays reading came from Galatians 5:16-26

It really struck me how behavior or attitudes I have can be distinctly categorized as 1) My selfish sinful tendencies 2) Good tendencies often brought on by some biblically based teaching

In this passage the sinful ones were sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like

and the spiritual ones were love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol.

The passage correctly assesses that its a conscious decision whether we will love or be gentle or will exercise self control or whether we will yield to one of the sinful ones. However, just plain old willing ourselves to do the good ones is not enough because some of them you really need extra help with. Like loving people who tend to be quite annoying, or having peace when everything is blowing up around, or being patient when you have been waiting for something for a really long time, one of the hardest is selfcontrol in the face of everything in you screaming to loose it. The Holy Spirit does teach these principles and makes us able to do these but only if we yield to be taught. When I just want to do what I want to do, I just end up in the first category.

God teach me the admirable character traits that come from yielding to the Holy Spirit.