God cares about heart and character!

“You were taught to leave your old self—to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do. But you were taught to be made new in your hearts, to become a new person. That new person is made to be like God—made to be truly good and holy.” Ephesians 4:22-24

God is after your character. He wants you to stop living the way you lived before. The old self-controlled life causes foolish consequences and actions. God wants you to be new in your hearts- become a new person. Leave the old and embrace the new things God wants you to have. 

 You see, the Bible says God wants to transform you to Christ-likeness with the fruit of the spirit described in Galatians 5:22-23. It says there, “But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” God wants us to bear more and much fruit and fewer acts of the flesh.

However, unfortunately, we see around us the acts of the flesh more often than the fruit of the spirit. The acts of the flesh are described in verses 18 to 21 of the same chapter. They are immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,  envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Did you notice, that it ends with a serious warning if we continue in such a lifestyle without any signs of repentance, the passage says this – such people will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Beloved, how important to him that we develop fruit for him? It means the internal qualities described above. Jesus cursed and said this after looking for fruit in a tree, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.” May He never say this about any one of us! Do you show forth love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? These are the fruit God is looking for in our lives even amid ill-treatments, pains, and confusion. If not all, at least a few fruits do we have? Or are we closer looking to the acts of flesh which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, faction, envying, drunkenness, carousing and things like these? If so, can we lean on the loving Lord’s call to move away from these actions to look more like the first list – the fruit of the spirit.

Beloved, we have to lean on the Lord in prayer and in the word of God to get there. We must allow the Holy Spirit to control our thinking and actions. As long as flesh controls our thinking and actions, no character developments happen. We need to punish our body and make it under our control as we discussed in earlier insights to show forth much spiritual fruit in our lives. I know how hard it is to move out of flesh to Spirit. Whatever it costs, we must make it happen. Not many days left. The few days left, may we live striving forward to bear at least a few of the fruit of the Spirit.

Remember God is not after your reputation/fame. He is not after your convenience and well-being. He is after your heart and character. The COVID-19 disaster also proves this fact. God doesn’t care much about our convenience. He does not. He is after our character. He wants to groom you to the likeness of His Son, Jesus before you stand in front of him one day. For this purpose, God would allow severe hardships in your life. He intends to make fruit out of you. He would make hard-pressed fruit, which causes stress and pain as He did in Jeremiah’s life, for a world dying in their sins every day. Sweetly allow Him to do this in and through you. 

It does not really matter what was your past. It is not late yet. Begin today. Surrender and commit today for God to transform you. Allow Him to see fruit/character developing inside you. 

“Father in heaven, I want to bear fruit for you in my life. I want to cooperate with you to develop my character because you are after my character, not after my reputation, well-being, or convenience. I submit and surrender to you today. I am sorry I was living according to my old ways. I looked more like a flesh-oriented person than a spiritual person. Help me Lord and change me today so that I can honor you when I live here temporarily. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”