Living by the Spirit means consistently choosing God's way over our own desires, allowing His presence to shape our character and actions. When we walk in step with the Spirit, we are empowered to resist the pull of the flesh and instead produce the fruit that reflects Christ—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is not a matter of willpower or personality, but a supernatural work that grows as we surrender daily and keep pace with God’s leading. The fruit is singular, not plural; if we lack one, we lack them all, and it is our responsibility to cultivate them in every season, trusting the Spirit to help us grow. [10:34]
Galatians 5:16, 22-25 (ESV)
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you sense you’ve been walking by your own desires instead of the Spirit’s leading, and what is one step you can take today to realign with God’s pace?
Patience is not simply waiting passively, but actively enduring discomfort and delay without reacting impulsively. The Bible uses the word "macrothymia" to describe patience as being long-tempered, and "hupomone" for perseverance under trial. God uses tests and difficult people to reveal where we are and to grow us into who He’s calling us to be. Rather than blaming the devil or our wiring, we are called to crucify our flesh and keep in step with the Spirit, allowing patience to be developed in us through every season—especially the hard ones. [12:15]
James 1:2-4 (ESV)
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Think of a current trial or frustration—how might God be using this situation to grow patience in you, and what would it look like to respond with “long-tempered” endurance today?
Kindness is more than being nice; it is a Spirit-empowered disposition that seeks the good of others, even when it is not reciprocated or appreciated. True kindness is not about matching the energy or actions of those around us, but about reflecting the heart of Christ, who is kind, tolerant, and patient with us. This kind of kindness grows us, sets us apart as children of God, and is proven most in unkind situations. It is not people-pleasing or affirming sin, but a commitment to truth, grace, and love that leads others toward God’s grace. [20:15]
Romans 2:1-4 (ESV)
"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"
Reflection: Who is one person you find difficult to be kind to, and how can you intentionally reflect Christ’s kindness to them this week, regardless of their response?
God calls us to keep in step with His Spirit, not to give up or pull out early when things get hard or fruit seems delayed. Seasons of suffering, waiting, or frustration are not wasted when we remain faithful and allow God to produce His fruit in us. Our responsibility is not to control the length or outcome of a season, but to consistently produce the fruit of the Spirit wherever God has placed us. When we view a season as eternity, we risk missing out on the blessings God wants to bring; instead, we are called to grow up, not give up, and trust that every moment in step with the Spirit is purposeful. [24:08]
Hebrews 10:36 (ESV)
"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised."
Reflection: Where are you tempted to give up or check out in your current season, and what would it look like to “keep in step” and trust God to produce fruit through you right where you are?
God’s incredible patience and kindness toward us are not a license to continue in sin, but an invitation to repentance and transformation. When we remember how merciful and gracious God has been with us, we are humbled and motivated to extend that same patience and kindness to others. Our lives preach the gospel most powerfully when we reflect the love, patience, and kindness of Jesus, drawing others toward Him rather than pushing them away. Even when we’ve missed the mark or wasted opportunities, God’s grace is sufficient, and today is always the right time to get back in step with His Spirit. [28:46]
2 Peter 3:8-9 (ESV)
"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
Reflection: How has God’s patience and kindness shaped your own story, and who in your life needs to experience that same grace through you today?
In Galatians 5, Paul calls us to walk by the Spirit, not gratifying the desires of the flesh, but instead producing the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There’s no limit to these qualities; we can never have too much of them. Today, the focus is on patience and kindness—not as separate virtues, but as essential, Spirit-grown evidence of God’s work in us. Patience isn’t just waiting; it’s keeping in step with the Spirit, moving at God’s pace, and trusting His timing, even when our circumstances test us. Kindness isn’t just being nice; it’s a Spirit-empowered disposition that seeks the good of others, even when it’s not reciprocated or appreciated.
We often miss out on God’s blessings because we lack the patience to let Him produce the “apples” He wants to grow in our lives. Like Ronald Wayne, who sold his Apple stock too soon, we can forfeit unimaginable spiritual rewards by quitting before the fruit is ripe. Patience is grown over time, especially in uncomfortable or unkind situations. It’s not a gift handed out to a select few, but a fruit every believer is expected to cultivate with the Spirit’s help. The Greek words for patience—macrothymia (long-tempered) and hupomone (endurance)—remind us that patience is both about restraint with people and perseverance through trials.
Kindness, or krestotis, is more than surface-level niceness. It’s a goodness of heart that actively seeks the welfare of others, reflecting Christ’s love regardless of how we’re treated. We’re not called to “kill them with kindness” as a form of revenge, but to crucify our flesh and let Christ’s character shine through us. Our job in God’s kingdom is to work in the “produce department”—to keep producing fruit, even when it’s hard, and not to quit before the harvest comes.
Seasons change, but our responsibility to produce fruit remains. We must not confuse a difficult season with eternity, nor let impatience or external pressure cause us to give up. God’s kindness and patience toward us are meant to lead us to repentance, not to give us license to sin. When we remember how much we depend on God’s mercy, we’re able to extend that same patience and kindness to others, drawing them closer to Him. True kindness is not people-pleasing or affirming sin, but Spirit-pleasing—rooted in truth, grace, and love. As we keep in step with the Spirit, every moment becomes an opportunity for God to work miracles through us, shaping our legacy and blessing those around us.
Galatians 5:16, 22-25 (ESV) — > But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
Romans 2:1-4 (ESV) — > Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. ... Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
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