The Garden of the Heart

Today's Word of Wonder: Cultivation

The Scripture Spotlight for Today

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."— Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

The Devotion: Evidence of the Connection

Have you ever seen an apple tree "straining" to produce an apple? Of course not. An apple tree doesn't wake up and think, "I really need to work on my 'appleness' today." It simply stands in the right soil, drinks the water, soaks in the sun, and the fruit appears because that is its nature.

When we talk about the Fruit of the Spirit, we are talking about the natural "evidence" of our life in Christ. These nine traits—from love to self-control—are not a checklist of things we need to "do" better. They are the harvest of Cultivation.

The WOW Moment today is realizing that you don't have to "try" to be kind or "work" to have peace. Those things are the "sap" of the Holy Spirit flowing through the branch (you!). When you spend time in the "soil" of the Word and the "sunlight" of His presence, the fruit begins to grow automatically. If you feel like you're lacking joy or patience today, don't try to "act" joyful. Instead, go back to the Vine. The fruit is a result of the relationship, not the effort.

Wonder Prompt (Actionable Reflection)

Think of the "fruit" you’ve been struggling to produce lately (maybe it’s patience with a coworker or self-control with your habits).

• Action: Stop trying to "fix" the fruit. Instead, spend 10 minutes today specifically focusing on your connection to Jesus. Talk to Him about your day as if He’s sitting right next to you.

• Observation: Notice how, when you prioritize the relationship, your reactions to others start to change naturally.

• Prayer: "Holy Spirit, I welcome Your harvest in my life. I stop trying to manufacture character and I start resting in Your power. Let Your love and peace flow through me today so that others can taste Your goodness. Amen."