Pain is Good if God is Glorified: Questions to ask ourselves about thefruit of the Spirit.

 Here's a great post on the fruit of the Spirit with really great questions to ask ourselves after each: http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/faith/essentials/growing-in-your-faith/10-ideas-reflecting-the-fruit-of-the-spirit

Here are the questions he asks (but really, read the terrific paragraphs in the post before each question): 

For love: Question: Am I motivated to do for others as Christ has done for me, or am I giving in order to receive something in return? 

Joy: Question: Am I experiencing a joy of life on a regular basis, or is my happiness dependent on things going smoothly in my day?

Peace: Question: Do I find myself frazzled by the crashing waves of turmoil in my life, or am I experiencing “the peace that passes all comprehension” (Philippians 4:6-7)?

Patience: Question: Am I easily set off when things go wrong or people irritate me, or am I able to keep a godly perspective in the face of life’s irritations?

Kindness: Question: Is it my goal to serve others with kindness, or am I too focused on my own needs, desires or problems to let the goodness of God overflow to others?

Goodness: Question: Does my life reflect the holiness of God, and do I desire to see others experience God at a deep level in their own lives?

Faithfulness: Question: Are there areas of hypocrisy and indifference toward others in my life, or is my life characterized by faith in Christ and faithfulness to those around me?

Gentleness: Question: Do I come across to others as brash and headstrong, or am I allowing the grace of God to flow through me to others?

Self-control: Question: Are my fleshly desires controlling my life, or am I allowing the Spirit to direct me to the things that please God and serve others?

These are tough questions. It's humbling to realize there are some areas I might be doing ok with and some of these where I need a whole lot of work! The real measurement, of course, is not an evaluation of myself but what my closest friends and my wife think of me. It's humbling to ask them their opinion. But we must. We must also ask God to show us where we need an increase in one or more of these. And we must realize it's only His power that can bring that increase. 

The questions make the application hit home for me. I, like you, have heard countless teachings on the fruit of the Spirit. But it's not an intellectual thing, like a list to memorize. These are virtues we NEED worked into our character so that we can reflect the living Christ in our lives. 

The article closes with the following last question: 

"10. Walk by the Spirit. While not a fruit of the Spirit, the final item on the checkup produces all nine qualities listed above. When we follow the Spirit’s lead instead of being led by our self-focused desires, He produces the fruit.

But even when we don’t walk by the Spirit, He is the very one who convicts us that things are not in proper order in our lives.

God promises that if we are willing to admit that we have been walking our own way and ask for His forgiveness and cleansing, He will empower us through His Spirit to live above ourselves and live the abundant life for which He has created us.

Question: Am I actively depending on the Holy Spirit to guide me in God’s ways so I don’t get wrapped up in myself? If not, am I willing to confess to God that His ways are better than mine, and that I need the Spirit’s guidance to live above the fray?"

There certainly is a constant battle between self and the Spirit. Only when we recognize this battle is ever present, and that we need to continually confess our weaknesses and call on God to send his Spirit, can we see a growth in the fruits. 

Having fruit in our lives is important because we are known by them. There is much to be said of fruit in John 15. We are actually called by God to bear fruit. We can be sure that he will prune the branches - the areas of our life - where we are not producing good fruit. But what a great and glorious process! Not only does God care enough to sacrifice his son for our sins he sends his Spirit to renew and remake our hearts. What an honor to be part of the building the kingdom of God. But we must always remember that building begins with brokenness and humility. We must always go before God and ask for more fruit. Fruit does not come naturally, and our flesh will always war against the fruits of the Spirit. 

I'm sure I'll read these questions above several more times, as painful as the answers might be. Pain is good, however, if God is glorified in the end.