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When Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, he’s painting a picture of what our lives can look like when the Holy Spirit is living and active in us. It’s not just an abstract list of virtues to admire; it’s a picture of Jesus’ life reflected in ours. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — these qualities are not meant to stay on the pages of our Bibles. They’re meant to show up in our everyday lives, in the ordinary moments that make up our days.
Think about how fruit grows. A tree doesn’t have to grit its teeth or strain its branches to make fruit appear. It simply stays rooted in good soil, receives water and sunlight, and fruit naturally develops over time. In the same way, when we stay close to Jesus, connected to Him through prayer, Scripture, and surrender, the Spirit quietly and faithfully works within us to produce His fruit. It may not happen overnight, but little by little, change takes place.
I see this most clearly in the small, ordinary choices we make. Love looks like listening to your spouse even when you’re tired at the end of the day. Patience shows itself when you’re stuck in traffic and choose not to let frustration get the better of you. Kindness comes through when you take a moment to encourage a workmate who’s struggling. Gentleness is heard in the tone of your voice when your children push your buttons. Self-control shows up when you bite back a sharp word or choose to walk away from temptation. None of these are dramatic, headline-worthy acts, but each one reflects the life of Jesus shining through us.
The beauty is, we don’t have to manufacture this on our own. It’s the Spirit who does the growing. Our part is to stay connected — to keep leaning into Jesus each day and letting His Spirit shape our hearts. Over time, people around us begin to notice something different: a peace that doesn’t make sense, a kindness that feels rare, a faithfulness that can be trusted. That’s the Spirit’s fruit at work.
I want to give you a quick reminder too: this coming Sabbath, September 20, our local church will be closed because of Big Camp. We’ll open again on the second week of Big Camp, September 27. In the meantime, I really want to encourage you to come along to the South Queensland Big camp and worship with our wider family of churches. It’s always an uplifting experience to step outside our usual routines and be reminded that we’re part of a much bigger community of faith. The fellowship, the worship, and the chance to see old friends and meet new ones can be such a blessing.
My prayer is that wherever you are this week — whether at Big Camp, at home, or in the quiet spaces of your daily routines — the Spirit would be growing His fruit in you, and that others might catch a glimpse of Jesus through the way you live.
With love and blessings, David Peñate
