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

Over the last several days, we’ve spent a lot of time looking at life in the Spirit. The Spirit opens up new horizons for us, a way of living and loving that never seemed possible.

Life in the Spirit produces something that the law and the flesh can’t produce. This is the good and beautiful life, the life the Lord has for us. This is not a new demand ON us; it’s what God wants FOR us. This is your best self. And the engine for all of this is the Spirit.

When we hear about this life, we’re can respond in one of three different ways. We can give in to the flesh and give up on hoping for a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. We can lean into the law and try our hardest to produce a fruitful life on our own. Or we can embrace God’s Spirit and ask him to produce in us the fruit-filled life that he wants to give us.

Many of us wrestle with these options in our marriages. Do we give up hope and walk away (even if it’s just for a day)? Do we grit our teeth, work hard and try to pop a perfect marriage into existence? Or do we embrace God’s Spirit and ask him to guide us into a life and marriage that bears good fruit?

God’s Spirit is at work in each and every one of us to produce in us this good fruit. And, over time, the fruit of the Spirit that shows up in our individual lives begins to show up in our collective life together. We become a community that is full of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And this kind of community can be used by God to transform the world.

Where do you see the Spirit producing good fruit in your life? Where are you drawn back to the law and the flesh? What would it look like for you to ask the Spirit to produce more and better fruit in your life?