Beyond all these things, put on love...

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” ~Galatians 5:22

Goodness really opened my eyes this week.  Not specifically about my boys - although the prayers continue to deepen my motherly devotion to these wild men God gave me - but to the reality of the fruit of the Spirit - the reality of His Love in my life.

May__________believe that he shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13).

How abundant is Your goodness, which you have stored up for__________and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind (Psalm 31:19).

May__________be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple (Psalm 65:4).

May__________taste the goodness of the word of God (Hebrews 6:5).

Why have I never seen this before? “The goodness of the Lord” repeated over and over drove it home… it’s not my goodness.  It is HIS! All these years of trying to work up the fruit of the Spirit on my own (although I know I’ve been better about calling to the Lord for His love, His joy, His peace - all the rest I’ve been trying to “whomp up” in myself: patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) and being so disappointed when I fail in them!

What freedom this brings!!! I cannot work up love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - nothing in me is able to produce one bit of good.  But Christ!  Christ can, and He lives in me!  He is always the key - when I am holding on to something so tight and not abiding in Him, there is no way I can be patient or have self control.  But abiding in Him, these things abound!

Every day since this prayer challenge started, I have been praying the first day’s prayers for Heart Change daily - sometimes just for my boys, sometimes for me, too.  It has now become a daily part of prayer for me - my heart needs the change in order to abide fully in Him and bear this fruit of His Spirit.  Each of the 21 days of prayer can only be fulfilled by abiding in Christ - and that is my prayer for my boys.

Almost halfway through 21 days of prayer.  And I am changed….  My days have been renewed - my thoughts have been refreshed - my heart has been softened. 

My boys?  They are thriving.  Thriving in the love that comes from the Lord - in the attention that has been lavished on them - in the togetherness we are experiencing.

And I thought we were doing OK - until the Lord changed my heart.  This time of prayer each morning has revolutionized our days, opening my eyes to see the selfishness of my heart.  I had clung to “me-time” and was very resentful of not getting what I thought I needed.  But each time I took “me-time”, I wanted more - more time away from my dear sons.  How wrong is that?!?  By praying for them so specifically each morning, I am coming to see how precious they are - and fearfully and wonderfully made by a God who loves them for who He made them to be.  How could I be wishing for time away? 

We have had so much fun as I pour back into my boys.  And I truly delight in them!  No anger, frustrations that are easily corrected - all because I am spending time with my boys as I am called to do.  And all that because of prayer. 

***Linking up to Warrior Prayers.

how awesome is this?!?  I want to do this for my dining room…

A give-away I would LOVE to win!!!  I LOVE Doorposts’ training tools, and I’ve been eying Plants Grown Up for a year or so…