A Resounding 'Yes'

This past Sunday, I was sitting in church, and two things my pastor said really stayed with me.

First, he reminded us that we don’t need to pray for the fruits of the Spirit. Once we’ve invited Jesus into our hearts, we already have them - each and every one. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. They’re already ours in Christ. What we do need to pray for is the strength and wisdom to develop them, to nurture those fruits in our daily lives so they bear witness to the One who lives in us.

Second, he spoke about Jesus' commands and how they’re paired with the gift of choice. Jesus gives us commands not as a dictator, but as a loving Savior who allows us to choose Him. He says, “Follow Me,” but never forces us to do so. His love is so deep, so wide, that He gives us the freedom to say yes or not. That part hit me hard. Because for a long time in my life, I didn’t say yes.

I rejected His commands. I went my own way. But now that I’ve invited Jesus into my heart, now that I’ve seen the beauty of walking with Him, my answer is a resounding yes. Yes, Lord, I will follow. Yes, Lord, I will obey. Yes, Lord, I want Your way, not mine.

Lately, I've been reflecting on which fruits of the Spirit I need to work on developing most. And for me, that fruit is gentleness. As a professional, and as someone who supervises a team, I’ve noticed how easy it is for my desire for excellence to overshadow gentleness. While I do believe excellence is important—and biblical—I'm realizing that how I pursue it matters just as much. Gentleness doesn’t mean lowering the bar; it means leading with the heart of Christ, even in correction. That’s something I’m beginning to pray for intentionally: that my leadership would reflect both strength and gentleness, just like His.

I share all of this because I know I’m not alone in this journey. We all have fruits that need tending, and we’ve all wrestled with the choice to obey or turn away. But the beauty of God’s grace is that He keeps calling, keeps inviting, keeps loving. What fruits of the Spirit are you needing to develop?

Today, my answer to His commands is yes.

What’s yours?