The goal of a Christian is always to have a fruitful life. Jesus described how you can tell a true believer from a false prophet just by the fruit in their lives. Keep reading to learn the meaning of a fruitful life and the fruits of the Spirit.
When I first became a Christian, I never really considered what my next steps would be. I never thought there would be more steps to walking with Jesus or that my life would change in any way. All I knew was that my heart was softened, and I invited Jesus into my life.
Living A Fruitful Life Is A Process
Having a church to attend and a community of believers around me helped guide me along the path that I needed to walk. There were a lot of Christian voices coaching me in this new life, and I was convicted of many things I had allowed into my life. I went through a period of letting go of things—throwing away books, not watching certain shows, or playing certain video games. All of this was an important part of my walk with God. Getting rid of the things that are not producing good fruit in my life will always play an important role in the sanctification process.
To this day, God is molding my heart and helping me grow. Fruit is supposed to grow, flourish, thrive, and multiply. Even now, I will look back on my life and see how what I thought was right was not, but God’s grace was there with me. This has shown me that while the seeds were being planted long ago, God was also working on the soil of my heart.
One thing I have learned is that the good fruit in my life goes through a process. It takes time to refine the soil of my heart and for the seeds to actually grow into good fruit. This is why I need the help of the Holy Spirit to lead me every day so His fruit will abound in my heart and life.
The Fruits Of The Spirit Explained
The Fruits of the Spirit is the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. It is important to know that when you learn about the attributes of The Holy Spirit, the fruits are character attributes you will need to seek and lean into.
In the refinement process, it will take obedience, and living a fruitful life will take sacrifice. But The Holy Spirit makes the fruit grow, and He will tend to the soil of your heart so the fruits will flourish. Just because you may struggle in certain areas of your life, and sin may be evident, you can realize the power of The Holy Spirit in your life to make happen what you cannot in your own strength.
I like how Kathy Howard describes the process of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit growing in a believer’s life,
“Yet, like physical fruit that needs time to grow, the fruit of the Spirit will not ripen in our lives overnight. Like a successful gardener must battle against weeds to enjoy the sweet fruit they desire, we must constantly work to rid our lives of the “weeds” of our old sinful natures that want to choke out the work of God’s Spirit.”
The Nine Attributes Of The Fruit Of The Spirit
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 (ESV)
According to Got Questions, in Galatians 5:22-23, “fruit” means “beneficial results,” which are the good things that come from the Spirit’s indwelling.
Beth Moore talks about good vs. bad fruit in her book Chasing Vines and says, “If we want to resist the temptation to promote more good than we actually perform, we’ll have to be deliberate. Fruit is to be eaten, or it will rot. The only fruit that lasts indefinitely without being eaten is the plastic kind.“
The good fruit in your life will come from the Holy Spirit working. Below is a list of Fruit of the Spirit with a Bible verse that specifically mentions that fruit.
Love
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
Agape is the word for love in this scripture, and it represents a choice, not a feeling. This is a difficult way to live when other people and life can be incredibly offensive. But when you choose love in specific circumstances, you will find your life will bear good fruit.
“The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.” ― Mother Theresa, A Simple Path
Nothing good will come from holding a grudge or from hating someone, which is the opposite of love. I don’t always feel love toward certain people, but I do try to choose to walk in love toward everyone, especially those who do not know Jesus.
I think a lot of Christians feel like being hateful or rejecting certain people is what God would want them to do, but they are wrong. It is important to recognize the fruit hatred produces. Hate is bad soil; it makes it impossible to embrace Agape love. You can be a Christian and still bear bad fruit through your actions and choices.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”—John 13:35 (NIV)
Joy
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13 (ESV)
This is my verse for the year. I started the year feeling like a failure and unsure what was happening. The previous year, I had been laid off, and the interviews or job opportunities I hoped would go through didn’t. I was wondering what God had in store for my life. I had some anxiety and started losing hope that I would ever have an opportunity to earn an income again.
So, I have been clinging to this verse and investing my heart, time, and energy into what I enjoy doing and trusting God. This verse reminds me that the joy of The Holy Spirit is something I can experience through trials and triumphs.
The key to hope and joy in this verse is to believe.
You don’t have to believe in a certain outcome for hope and joy. If you believe in a certain outcome that doesn’t happen, then your joy depends on the outcome, not who God is. Believing in the God of hope is the key to having joy in every moment of your life. You have to believe and trust in God, and that is when the joy of the Lord will be your strength.
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)
Peace
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
Having peace in your life does not require you to avoid difficult conversations that may cause conflict. Having the fruit of peace in your life will allow you to walk through those moments of pain and conflict with a peace that passes all understanding.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
There seems to be a pattern regarding the Fruit of the Spirit—surrender.
Even if you face conflict or need to have a difficult conversation, you can surrender it all to God and turn to Him to see how to handle the situation. If you are going through a situation that is causing you inner turmoil, then that is the perfect opportunity for you to go to God!
I remember a few years back, I was struggling with thoughts of what I did in the past, and the guilt I felt was overwhelming. This was all that happened before I was a Christian who had fully surrendered her heart to God, so I knew these things were covered by the blood of Jesus. However, I could not find my peace.
“Christ alone can bring lasting peace – peace with God – peace among men and nations – and peace within our hearts.” – Billy Graham
During that season, I decided to surrender to God and again ask for forgiveness for these things. I knew that Jesus was the only One who could release me from that guilt and give me my peace again. Eventually, my peace about those areas of my life came back. I know they happened, but my heart carries the peace that passes all understanding.
Peace is a beautiful fruit of the Spirit that most reveals the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life! If I can think about something that would normally cause me pain, guilt, anxiety, and shame but only experience peace—that’s when I feel close to God and His guidance in my life. Not only does it help me live a peaceful life, but this peace also stirs my faith.
Forbearance (Patience)
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. – James 5:7-8 (ESV)
Following Christ or even your dreams takes a lot of patience. The disciples listened to Jesus talk about the Kingdom to come, and they had to wait until His death and resurrection. But even now, we are all still waiting (patiently) for Christ’s return.
If you get a vision from God about what your life will be like or rely on God’s promises to come through in a specific area of your life, then patience will be key. Becoming impatient during key moments can negatively impact your goal and future harvest.
“Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” – Joyce Meyer
In James 5:7-8 God’s Word mentions how the farmer waits for the “precious fruit of the earth.” It is good to note that you can’t have a harvest without first planting seeds. The same is true for accomplishing goals and seeing real-life changes.
It takes time and patience, and you will need to plant new seeds. But you can only plant seeds you have been given, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, you have been given the fruit of the Spirit. So you can plant the seeds of the fruit of the Spirit, be patient, and eventually reap a harvest!
A good attitude while waiting involves being content with where you are and knowing where you want to go. Patience requires a vision for what you are working towards to know what seeds to plant today. Having a bad attitude only digs up the seeds you’ve already planted.
Kindness
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)
God is truly the kindest One you will ever know. Most people don’t believe that, but it’s true. Especially when you are surrendering your walk to Him. You will be met with a tenderhearted God who forgives you!
It is difficult to walk in His kindness and not have a tender heart towards others. When you receive kindness from God, you receive the seeds to plant kindness in your heart for yourself and others. If you believe that God is not kind towards you and your sin, then you will not believe it is necessary to be kind towards others when they are not kind to you.
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” – Mother Teresa
Goodness
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. – Romans 12:9 (ESV)
According to Got Questions, “The Greek word translated “goodness,” agathosune, is defined as “uprightness of heart and life.” Agathosune is goodness for the benefit of others, not goodness simply for the sake of being virtuous.”
Romans 12:9 says to hold fast to what is good. The truth is that there are many bad things in this world that cause heartache and pain. Sometimes, this evil is loud and intrusive, and seeing the good in other people or this world is impossible.
But there is another truth: there is also good in this world.
If you want the good to be evident in your life and within the community around you, then it is important to find the good, see the good, and cling to the good.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV)
Christians know what’s good, what’s evil, and what is a compromise. The point is to be fully obedient to the good in your life and to fight evil with good.
Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:20-21 (WEB)
Your first reaction to evil doesn’t have to be to join the crowd or condemn and judge it. Contrary to popular belief among the Christian community, you can overcome evil with good without actually falling into sin yourself. Approaching it any other way promotes sin and can affect your life and actions. When you cling to the good, you will find ways to use that goodness to benefit others and not hurt people.
The Fruits of the Spirit encourage us to embrace God’s goodness, the goodness of this world, and goodness in our actions toward everyone around us!
Faithfulness
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. – 2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV)
“Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved.” – Martin Luther
I love this verse and am often reminded of the times in my life when I was faithless, but God was still faithful to me. As Martin Luther points out in the quote I shared, it is easy to say you are loyal to someone during good times, but loyalty is tested during battles.
The older I get (and I don’t think I am very old), the more opportunities I face where my faithfulness is tested. I am grateful that faith in God is not something I have to earn; it is simply something I need to choose to receive. Faith is a gift from God! If it weren’t for Jesus, then we would not have the opportunity to have faith in anything or anyone who could truly save us from this world!
I don’t have faith in culture, politics, or anything other than Jesus, especially during trials and when I am tempted to believe that God can’t “fix this” or turn my situation around. I have had moments where I questioned, doubted, and did not choose faith in a situation. However, those moments only deepened my convictions in Jesus, and I believe they have produced good soil for good fruit in my life. Ultimately, I would choose faith.
You will often question your loyalty to God, the church, your spouse, or your family. But when the battle rages, where else do you have to turn other than God? The trying times are when you will need God the most! Faithfulness is a choice and will require loyalty and believing in God even when you don’t have the answers.
Gentleness
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. – Matthew 11:29 (ESV)
Understanding gentleness means realizing that it is evident in how you treat people to their faces and when they are not around. What you say and/or think about people reflects the fruit of gentleness in your life. Gentleness becomes your identity and how you handle most situations. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect in public and private.
to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. – Titus 3:2 (ESV)
This is important to understand because the Fruit of the Spirit needs to be evident in our lives, even when people are not watching. The good you feel inside your heart when you are gentle with someone in public is nice at the moment, but when nobody is watching, are you being gentle with your words and thoughts?
Self-Control
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, – Titus 2:11-12 (ESV)
The grace of God is having the Holy Spirit show us where we need more self-control. Then, He gives us the ability to overcome whatever has control over us. According to Kristin Wetherell there are five steps to exercising self-control:
- Renew your mind with God’s Word.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help.
- Confess to God and others.
- Identify and remove your triggers.
- Remember the gospel when you fail.
It is difficult to live a self-controlled life without the help of The Holy Spirit.
Bearing Good Fruit vs. Bad Fruit
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? – Matthew 7:15-16 (ESV)
It is important to have a fruitful spiritual life. A good tree will bear fruit that resembles the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. God’s Word tells us we can tell who are followers of Christ by their fruit. The bad fruit in your life can crowd out and even negate the good fruit in several ways.
“Since the Father calls Jesus-followers to live immensely fruitful lives, it stands to reason that no question is more relevant than this: What kind of fruit are we producing? We can’t see fruit the way God can, but with His help, we are fully capable of distinguishing between good fruit and bad fruit.” – Beth Moore, Chasing Vines
A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. – Matthew 7:18 (ESV)
Surrendering your life daily to the Holy Spirit and leaning into the Fruit of the Spirit will allow you to have a fruitful life. The goal of the Christian life is to have a fruitful life and share the gospel.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. – John 15:8 (ESV)