Peace and Joy
By
John Lysaught
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians
5:22-23, NIV).
In our
Christian walk,
this type of
fruit should be
manifest in our
lives daily,
moment by
moment, in our
hearts and our
interactions
with those
around us to
emulate Christ
to the fullest.
I’ll admit
though,
sometimes it’s a
challenge to
bear and
represent the
fruit of the
Spirit. We all
have strongholds
in life and
people that irk
us that we have
to overcome.
This is the
challenge
though, to work
through those
strongholds to
bear the fruit
of the Spirit at
all times. Your
boss says
something to you
and you want to
lash out at him;
give heed to
self-control.
Hold that
thought in your
mind and let
your heart work
on that lashing
statement until
it calms down
and you can
respond in a
calm or humbling
manner. Your
pastor preaches
something that
makes you angry,
like convicting
you of living in
sin: Take some
time and let it
soak into your
heart. Get it?
For me, my
biggest
challenge: My
teenagers. Boy,
they sure irk
the heck out of
me with the
rebellious
things they do
and say. They
know everything
and my wife and
I are stupid in
their minds. We
are outdated in
thoughts and our
advice is
worthless to
them because
they are smarter
and younger than
us (comical,
really). This
really irks me.
When they do or
say things that
get under my
skin, I force
myself to take a
step-back, try
to see things
from their
perspective, and
then when my
heart is right,
I let the Spirit
guide me in what
I need to say to
them to impart
the experience
and knowledge I
have that they
think I don't
have. Sometimes
this works, and
when it doesn’t,
I have faith
that one day it
will click for
them.
Joy is
another thing I
have struggle
with at times,
but the Spirit
is working in me
on this one. I
suffer from many
ailments:
Depression,
anxiety, bipolar
II, Crohn’s
disease,
fibromyalgia,
cornea disease
and arthritis,
to name a few.
This is a lot
for a 38 year
old to deal with
every day. I’m
always tired and
fatigued and my
joints and body
hurt all the
time. Even the
pain meds I
take, they just
take the edge
off. For me
then, I find it
hard to have joy
in this world
physically and
mentally.
Spiritual joy is
different.
I put joy in
perspective when
I’m feeling
sorry for
myself. I pray
for healing, and
God has
partially
answered my
prayers. The
Crohn’s is in
remission, my
cornea disease
is actually
getting a little
better (went to
the eye doctor
yesterday and he
said he rarely
sees this
disease
improve), and my
mental status is
stable. I’m not
cured of
anything, but
I'm as bad as I
could be. Like
the apostle
Paul, he had an
ailment that God
did not heal,
and so I must
believe that I’m
not completely
healed for
reasons only
Christ knows.
I do find
that my faith
and strength in
Christ make me
stronger by my
ailments, for I
lean on Christ
more than I
would if I
didn't have
these issues. I
do find joy in
Christ's help.
For me then, joy
is not limited
to the world but
with Christ. I
find joy in the
love of Christ
for me. I find
joy in my
relationship
with Christ. I
find joy in the
fact that I am
saved and will
go to heaven
when it is my
time to leave
this world. I
find joy when I
read and reflect
on the words of
God in the
Bible.
You see, joy
is not limited
to the natural
world around us,
but in our
relationship
with others and
with, most
importantly,
Christ. I find
great joy in my
relationship
with my
family─my wife
especially. Joy
that she is my
best friend and
we are connected
so closely that
I find joy that
God put us
together.
Together, we are
unstoppable. I
also find joy in
my children,
even though my
teens drive me
nuts at times, I
find joy that
they are on the
path to finding
Christ and it
brings me joy
that they are on
the track to
eternity. With
joy come peace
in this life and
my relationship
with Christ is
strengthened.
My heart is
at peace, even
when things go
wrong around me
in life -- such
as work, or
drama with the
kids, when my
health flares
ups, or what is
going on in the
world around us.
To me, I
have a feeling
of unspeakable
peace. I have
peace that even
though the world
is falling apart
around us, I am
safe and Christ
will care for
me, and my
family. I find
peace in my
heart when pain
comes from my
ailments, when
my kids are
being,
well─kids. This
peace in my
heart is
important
because it
reflects to me
that my faith is
strong and
Christ is
working in me
and helping me
along in my
journey to
improve my
relationship
with Him and
others, as well
as growing my
faithfulness in
Him. I find
peace in that
Christ is in
control, and
everything that
happens to me is
part of His plan
for me and for
his glory, not
mine.
For
unbelievers
(those not saved
and have not
accepted Christ
by His grace and
sacrifice for
our sins) they
will not fully
understand this
as stated in
Galatians
5.22-23:
“But the fruit
of the Spirit is
love, joy,
peace,
forbearance,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness and
self-control.
Against such
things there is
no law.”
The unsaved
may have all
these “nice”
attributes, but
if not saved,
then it is all
for nil. These
attributes are
from and of the
world, not of
Christ. Don’t
get me wrong,
for the unsaved
these attributes
listed as “the
fruit of the
Spirit” are okay
to have. The
problem is that
if it is not a
result of
accepting the
saving grace of
Christ, then
exercising these
attributes does
nothing for your
salvation and
future for
eternity in
heaven.
Basically, if
you don't accept
Christ as your
Lord and Savior,
then bearing
these fruits of
the Spirit
without the
foundation of
Christ is all
for nothing. You
will not go to
heaven. You will
go to hell.
Some say this
kind of
statement is
wrong and it is
not fair to say
that a good
moral, but
unsaved person
will go to hell.
It is fair and
it is not wrong
for the Bible is
very clear about
this, as in John
14:6:
“Jesus
saith unto him,
I am the way,
the truth, and
the life: no man
cometh unto the
Father, but by
me.”
God
gave his Son as
atonement for
our sins, past,
present, and
future. If you
don’t accept
Christ as your
Savior, the
fruits of the
Spirit, the
peace, love, and
joy that come
with it is not
be the same as
when it comes
from Christ. You
may think it is,
but from someone
(me) who was not
always a
follower of
Christ, I can
tell you that it
is much more
fulfilling to
have the fruits
of the Spirit
with Christ as
your foundation
than from the
world. It is
more satisfying
in your heart,
is calming, and
brings great
comfort more
than not knowing
Christ can ever
give you.
Believe me.
1 John
4.13-16 says:
“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us
of his Spirit.
And we have seen
and testify that
the Father has
sent his Son to
be the Savior of
the world.
If anyone
acknowledges
that Jesus is
the Son of God,
God lives in
them and they in
God. And so we
know and rely on
the love God has
for us.”
Is God in
you? Do you have
the Spirit and
do you love the
Lord with all
your heart,
soul, and mind?
If not, it's
time to act
today. Not
tomorrow, but
today.
My friends
God loves each
and every one of
us, and wants us
to be with Him
in eternity. I
hope I made some
of you
uncomfortable by
stating if you
are not with
Christ, you will
go to hell.
Eternity is a
long time, its
forever. The
decision you
make today about
your eternity is
ultimately your
choice, but
choose wisely.
You either
choose Christ,
which is
eternity in
heaven, or you
choose the
world, which is
not Christ, and
means eternity
away from God’s
love in hell.
Take a moment
to reflect on
Christ. Pray.
Pray that He
works in your
heart. Pray to
accept Him into
your heart and
ask for
forgiveness for
your sins. Ask
for Christ to be
in your life and
lead you to
salvation. The
decision to
choose Christ is
one you won’t
regret. Your
life will
change. Your
heart will swell
and you will
feel an
unbelievable
love as Christ
works in your
heart. You’ll
begin to change
your worldly
ways and will
desire to serve
God, not
yourself or the
world. You will
have a new
perspective on
life and your
future, as well
as your present.
From a recent
convert, I can
attest that it
is an
unbelievable
change for the
better and I
look forward to
growth each day.
To always feel
the love and
guidance from
Christ is a
great way to
live. Please,
please look into
your heart and
seek Christ.
John Lysaught
john_lysaught@yahoo.com