Good Day, God
I have always loved the description of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 : But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Patience wasn’t too hard. But both that one and Self-Control brought to my mind — me with a bit in my mouth and a saddle and bridle on me. An image of me being forcible controlled. My whole being resisted that image of control. Then, in the months before Kit slipped and broke his leg — the Spirit started a slow change in me. Whenever we would go out — Kit would sit at the bottom of our stairs and put on his shoes. I would stand at the landing and try to be patient. Or at least I would try not to broadcast unspoken impatience.
But, one day — it came to me that instead of resisting the negative — I could flip it and focus on a positive. What came to my mind was to BLESS Kit. As in the verse “Bless bless and do not curse” Blessing is a very indeterminate verb in my mind. But, I knew it was positive. Bless –to wish good things. Bless — to enfold in love. Bless — ask for a healing anointing. It made the wait time shrink way way down.
Then just a few weeks ago I came across this verse in the Message and guess what had happened to Patience and Self Control?
They had been reframed as Able to marshal and direct our energies wisely! What had before been a Controlling and Limiting negative — had become an ability greatly to be wished for!
Dearest Sandy suggested I share all two verses from the Message: “But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Especially now, when energy is not as abundant as it once was. How I long to be able to marshal and direct it wisely! In fact, now when I had a task looming ahead of me, I stop and ask You, PLEASE HELP ME TO GATHER AND FOCUS MY ENERGY ON THIS TASK WISELY. And, I will just BEGIN.
I will not say it is effortless. But it feels God, as if we are walking together peacefully. More concerned with going in a wise direction than trying to just GET IT DONE. There is a freedom in this reframe. And I am very thankful.
Story teller,
A Moment with God 
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