The bit of Galatians 5 most people skip straight past

Dear friend.

Can I ask you something honest?

If the person who knows you best had to name the one fruit of the Spirit you find hardest - patience, self-control, kindness, peace - which one do you think they’d choose?

Take a moment. Don’t rush it.

I asked my wife Gail. She didn’t hesitate.

Here’s the thing I want to share with you today - something small in Galatians 5 that I’ve read dozens of times and somehow kept missing.

Paul doesn’t write “fruits of the Spirit.” He writes “fruit.” Singular. One thing, with many expressions. Not a buffet where you load your plate with the qualities you like and quietly sidestep the ones you find awkward.

That sounds demanding at first. But stay with it, because it leads somewhere rather wonderful.

It means the area where you feel weakest isn’t where the Spirit has given up on you. It’s where he is most at work - if you’ll let him be.

And here’s the other thing that stopped me in my tracks: Philippians 1:11 says this character is produced in your life by Jesus Christ. Not achieved. Not manufactured through more effort or earlier mornings or longer prayers. Produced. By him. In you.

This isn’t self-improvement dressed up in spiritual language. This is salvation working its way outwards.

I explore all of this - including one tiny practical step for today - in this morning’s devotional. If any of this lands with you, I think you’ll find it worth five minutes.

▶️ Watch here:

Grace and peace.

Rob

Read this week’s devotionals here - https://open.substack.com/pub/battledrilldevotional/p/you-dont-have-to-keep-feeling-stuck?r=643q6o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true