Living the fruit of the spirit in your marriage is no easy feat, but nevertheless, it can be done.
A few summers ago, early one morning, I closed my Bible with a huff and a sigh of discouragement.
As a family, we were in a tough spot. The kids had been throwing tantrums like crazy and our summer was anything but blissful.
That stress and frustration seeped into our marriage, and I found myself angry and frustrated all. the. time.
This bitterness wore down the cords of our relationship, and before long, Hubs was irritated with my constant state of stress and frustration.
Truthfully, it was not a happy time in our home. I knew I needed to reign in my feelings and needed a tangible way to break free from messy emotions.
That morning as I poured over the Fruits of the Spirit, wondering why I couldn’t make those come to fruition in my own marriage, God whispered truth into my weary soul.
From then on, the Fruit of the Spirit began to take root in my heart. God was beginning to transform me one word and action at a time. While it wasn’t a quick or easy process, the difference in my family relationships became quickly apparent.
And no matter where you on your journey, learning to live love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, is easier than you think; I promise.
Living the Fruit of the Spirit in Your Marriage
Ask God to Show You Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Admitting you’re struggling with an area of your life may not be easy, but it’s necessary for growth. When we ask God to show us hidden sin or our greatest struggle, we humble ourselves and admit our need for His strength to overcome these obstacles.
When we’re aware of the areas in which we fall short of His commands, it allows us to choose our words and actions more carefully. Plus, we can pray for strength to avoid temptation and stand firm on God’s promise to always provide a way out.
Have a Specific Prayer Strategy
As much as I wanted to become a wife who lived the Fruit of the Spirit in my marriage, I knew it wasn’t possible on my own. I needed to spend time on my knees before God praying through my struggles and asking God to refine my heart. And I desperately needed God to intervene in my life to help me experience lasting change.
I’ve created the Fruit of the Spirit Prayer Challenge to help you experience victory in your own life and marriage, just as I have in mine. If you’re ready to find freedom from messy emotions and to finally live the Fruit of the Spirit in everyday life, then this challenge is for you.
Explore the Scripture
In order to really understand what it means to live with these principles, I had to study God’s Word. In my quest for truth, I discovered that God doesn’t just give us these principles to do on our own. Instead, He provides strength in weak moments and is faithful to walk through tough seasons with us.
Choose one Fruit of the Spirit to Work On at a Time
There are nine Fruits of the Spirit, and if I’m honest, there are only a few I would say I live out on a regular basis. Once I started digging into these truths, I found I needed help in pretty much every area.
Yet I couldn’t tackle them all at once. Instead, I focused on and prayed through one Fruit of the Spirit at a time. I would pray through Scriptures about this topic and intentionally practice this trait throughout my interactions.
I started pausing before I spoke and reigning in my responses and actions. Little by little, progress came. God was providing me with lasting change as I focused on Him throughout the day.
Give Yourself Grace
Although I’ve been doing much better in reflecting these principles in my everyday life, I am far from perfect. It’s important to realize that perfection is not our goal. While we may strive to be like Jesus and emulate His responses, there will be times when we stumble and fall.
In those moments or seasons where we aren’t as Christ-like as we would hope, there’s always grace for us. Jesus is quick to forgive our missteps, and we should also be quick to forgive ourselves.
Implementing these simple strategies will help you find freedom and victory in your life. Let God work in your heart and transform your relationships one step at a time.
More to Consider
