By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 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 be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.
—Galatians 5:22-26

In ancient Rome, religious Romans would promise the god

to be better in the new year.

According to the Pew Research Center, between

of Americans make resolutions each year.

Most of our resolutions and goals have to do with what we

.

Accomplishments do not lead to enduring

.

If we only focus on accomplishments, we are focusing on the

thing.

What matters more than what we do is who we

.

Character, not competency, determines capacity. —Carey Nieuwhof

A

of character can undo in a single moment what we’ve spent years building.

Additional Notes:

Becoming Spiritual

In Galatia, a group was teaching Christians that to follow Jesus, they must follow the Jewish Law

.

We often prefer clearly defined rules because they relieve us of the responsibility of

.

Paul warned the Galatians that if they put their faith in the Law, they could not put their faith in

. (Galatians 5:4)

Instead, Paul invites them to guide their lives by walking with the

. (Gal. 5:5, 16)

He contrasts the life of the Spirit with the life of the

. (Gal. 5:17-18)

“The flesh” in Paul’s writing refers to human abilities corrupted by

and in opposition to God’s will. (Gal. 5:19)

When we live by the Spirit, the Spirit’s

is evident in our lives. (Gal. 5:22-23)

The fruit of the Spirit are not accomplishments; they are grown through the

shaping and guiding. (Gal. 5:24-25)

These fruit have much more to do with our

than our accomplishments.

Additional Notes:

Growing in Character

Life in the Spirit is not just about the “

” parts of our lives, but their entirety.

The spiritual teachers of our tradition (and other traditions too) repeatedly remind us that spiritual ecstasy is no substitute for ordinary kindness and practical generosity. —Rowan Williams, Former Archbishop of Canterbury

There are four dimensions that can help us fully live in the Holy Spirit:

1) Self-knowledge: Recognizing that my

don’t have to define me or my reactions to person and situations.

Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God. —John Calvin
I have called you by name, you are mine. —Isaiah 43:1

2) Stillness: Creating spaces where we can quiet the

of ourselves and others in order to hear the voice of God.

Solitude Deprivation: A state in which you spend close to zero time alone with your own thoughts and free from input from other minds. —Cal Newport

3) Growth: Approaching prayer and worship with the expectation that God will

us. (Philippians 3:13-14)

4) Joy: A

to the source of life that is “abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20)

How much of ourselves are we ready to know? What helps us be still? Are we prepared to be quietly and positively willing to move on? And are we ready for the overflow, the excess of joy that can come with that? —Rowan Williams

Additional Notes:

Habits to Grow By

According to behavior scientist B. J. Fogg, for a behavior to occur, we need motivation,

, and a prompt.

To increase the likelihood of adopting a new habit, he recommends making the habit “

” and setting a prompt.

As you set resolutions for 2022, create tiny habits that help you grow in

.

Additional Notes:

Action Steps

1. Reread Galatians 5:22-23.
   Reveal Answer
   yourself how you’ve grown in the last year in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Ask how God would have you grow in the year to come.
2. Create a plan to practice
   Reveal Answer
   daily.