Why Fruit of the Spirit?
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. There is no law against these things!
With a focus on overall wellness, it's not wonder Well Lit chose their flagship collection to be based on the Fruit of the Spirit. Not only are these nine acts the result of living a life filled with the Holy Spirit, but we can all agree that each one promotes some level of wellness in a person's life. We hope that with each burn of our candles, our customers are reminded of the "fruit" the Holy Spirit produces in us and through us.
Below are some thoughts we put together for each fruit, also available on the product pages of each candle:
Ever sit and think about why Jesus' greatest commandments center around love? It's the most powerful action expressed in God's Word! His love for us is unconditional and everlasting, and it's because of this love that we should make every effort to show love to others. Read Matthew 22:37-40 When lighting this candle, be sure to think of how you can show love to others today.
"This joy I have, the world didn't give it and the world can't take it away." This is a common phrase heard frequently in the Christian community, probably because it's true. The source of our joy cannot come from worldly things. The world isn't reliable. The world isn't consistent. Our joy cannot depend on something so erratic. Choosing God as the source of your joy means no matter what troubles come your way, you will always have joy because your source is reliable and consistent. Read Romans 15:13 When lighting this candle, think of where you see your current source of joy and how you can depend more on God for this.
Peace is probably the first thing I think of when I think of all-around wellness, specifically mental wellness. However, having peace or being at peace in life does not mean there is an absence of chaos. It is during our most chaotic moments that we are able to find and strengthen our inner peace. We love that Philippians 4 essentially says turn all your worries over to God, and He will grant you peace. Read Philippians 4:6-7 When lighting this candle, think about what you are worried about today that needs to be given to God.
Patience is not just about taking your time with things and allowing things to happen in their own time. We already know God’s timing is perfect timing, so we have no reason to rush anything that He has not said was ready. But patience is also about not getting irritated because someone cut you off or remaining calm even though your boss just asked you for something you already provided...in great detail...4 times. Having a certain tolerance for behavior that is not unforgivable and allowing things beyond your immediate control to just happen is another way to exercise patience. God exhibits this with us every time we fall short. He simply forgives us and helps us to get back on track. We need to do the same with others. Read Galatians 6:9 When lighting this candle, think about what you’re impatient about today. What can you do to overcome that?
All of humanity can use some help in this area. We can be so unkind to each other and it’s so painful to witness, especially from those who claim to be followers of Christ. It takes a lot of energy to be evil towards someone, to scheme up a way to ruin someone’s day or life, and for what reason? All of that hate over time is detrimental to the mind, body and spirit. And much of it is learned behavior from our family, peers and environment over periods of time. If we could go back to the mentality we had before we were influenced by these external factors, the world would live happier (and healthier) lives. Read Ephesians 4:32 When lighting this candle, think about whether or not you consider yourself a kind person. Why or why not?
Goodness is very subjective. What one person finds to be good, another person may not agree. However, we can all agree that what God defines as good is in fact good, and as long as we love Him, we know that everything will work out for our good as defined by Him. We can feel confident in knowing that God will continuously allow goodness to manifest in our lives so long as we continue to love Him. Read Romans 8:28 When lighting this candle, think about where you see God working goodness in your life.
When we think of faithfulness, we think of an undying commitment to something. That’s what God is to us and what we should be to Him: undyingly committed. He honors His part every hour of every day but what are we doing consistently that demonstrates our faithfulness to Him? Read 2 Timothy 2:13 When lighting this candle, think of how you can be more faithful to God in your everyday life.
Gentleness should not be confused for weakness. There is certainly a bit of strength that supports a gentle, humble spirit. That spirit speaks volumes louder than any sound could ever muster. It is attractive and is blessed by God. Read Matthew 5:5 When lighting this candle, think of where you can be more gentle in your everyday life.
Exercising self-control is such a powerful way to carry yourself. If you are constantly mindful of your thoughts, behaviors, actions, habits, and speech and actually have full control over them, there’s nothing you can’t do. Your self-control should always be a reflection of Jesus and His teachings. Read Proverbs 16:32 When lighting this candle, think about where you are lacking self-control (if at all) and what you can do to address it.
Which fruit do you feel you live out the most in your life? How can we be sure to help others do the same? Let us know in the comments!