The Fruit of True Belief
“God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” - Psalm 51:10
It’s important to understand that being kind won’t make you a Christian but being a Christian will make you kind. Do you see the difference? You can’t be good enough to earn the title of a child of God. Jesus didn’t instruct us to “be” good first; He called us to “believe.” It’s through belief that we become who God designed us to be and receive the gifts He has for us, including the fruit of the Spirit.
As Christians, kindness should naturally flow from our lives. However, this doesn’t mean that we are always perfect in our kindness. I’ll be honest, sometimes I fall short. If you ask my wife or my kids, they’ll tell you I’m not always the epitome of kindness. None of us have reached perfection. We all fall short of the glory of God.
But here’s the beautiful truth: Even though we may not always be kind, God’s kindness and His Spirit are continually at work in our hearts, transforming us to reflect more of His nature. This transformation began the moment you gave your life to Christ. The Psalmist’s plea in Psalm 51:10 is our plea too: “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
This is the process of renewal that Paul describes in Romans 12:2, where God renews our minds and changes our way of thinking and living. This transformation isn’t achieved by our own power but through God’s power at work within us.
God’s Spirit always changes a surrendered soul. If you have the Spirit of God within you, then your heart is on a journey of continual change, development, and growth to become more like Jesus. It’s not about achieving perfection on your own but about allowing the Spirit to work in and through you, producing the fruit of kindness and other virtues in your life.
Embrace this truth today. Let the Spirit of God shape your heart, making it more like Jesus’ every day. As you believe and surrender to Him, you’ll see His kindness manifest in your life, reflecting the true transformation that only comes from a relationship with Him.
It’s important to understand that being kind won’t make you a Christian but being a Christian will make you kind. Do you see the difference? You can’t be good enough to earn the title of a child of God. Jesus didn’t instruct us to “be” good first; He called us to “believe.” It’s through belief that we become who God designed us to be and receive the gifts He has for us, including the fruit of the Spirit.
As Christians, kindness should naturally flow from our lives. However, this doesn’t mean that we are always perfect in our kindness. I’ll be honest, sometimes I fall short. If you ask my wife or my kids, they’ll tell you I’m not always the epitome of kindness. None of us have reached perfection. We all fall short of the glory of God.
But here’s the beautiful truth: Even though we may not always be kind, God’s kindness and His Spirit are continually at work in our hearts, transforming us to reflect more of His nature. This transformation began the moment you gave your life to Christ. The Psalmist’s plea in Psalm 51:10 is our plea too: “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
This is the process of renewal that Paul describes in Romans 12:2, where God renews our minds and changes our way of thinking and living. This transformation isn’t achieved by our own power but through God’s power at work within us.
God’s Spirit always changes a surrendered soul. If you have the Spirit of God within you, then your heart is on a journey of continual change, development, and growth to become more like Jesus. It’s not about achieving perfection on your own but about allowing the Spirit to work in and through you, producing the fruit of kindness and other virtues in your life.
Embrace this truth today. Let the Spirit of God shape your heart, making it more like Jesus’ every day. As you believe and surrender to Him, you’ll see His kindness manifest in your life, reflecting the true transformation that only comes from a relationship with Him.
Subscribe
If you were blessed by or directly benefited from this content, please subscribe to receive receive daily devotions to your inbox.
No Comments