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Ever been warned to not pray for patience? “You’ll be tested and then you’ll get more than you bargained for.”
But did you know you already have patience? It is an integral part of the fruit of the Spirit. Those that have put on the Spirit, through baptism, and continue to live by the Spirit, reap the benefits of its fruit.
An orange tree yields oranges. Pears come from pear trees... And you would never hunt for peaches in an apple tree.
So why do I seek joy outside of the Spirit? Can I truly be kind to others without the Spirit’s help? Self-control is a misnomer if I am attempting it on my own.
That prayer for patience? Try keeping in step with the Spirit and watch what happens...
Galatians 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
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Written by Mackenzie Lancaster
Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
These verses are kind of heavy. They carry a lot of meaning that can be a little hard to determine when read all at once. But there’s no doubt that Paul is calling his readers to action, starting off the statement with “I urge you.” This is more than just encouraging or suggesting action; this is expressing a need for immediate action.
Next, Paul continues by saying, “in view of God’s mercy,” some versions say “in light of God’s mercy,” this is a continuation of the theme of the first eleven chapters in Romans, where the focus was on the mercy of God in many different aspects. But the rest of what Paul has to say all depends on God’s mercy. The act of us offering ourselves as living sacrifices would not be possible without God’s act of mercy in sending His Son to die for us, making us able to have a relationship with Him, and allowing us to actually be a perfect, living sacrifice.