Nine Fruitful Practices

I sit here, still but heart racing.  My headphones whisper instrumental music.  I furiously type some thoughts and let go of others.  I’m angry.  I feel wronged.  In life’s long-story, the situation is nearly meaningless.  Seriously, no one has been victimized.  No one is physically or emotionally hurting.  And it means nothing to the eternal spiritual realm.  Yet the frustration festers.  A sigh escapes my lips. 

I consciously turn my heart to remembering to return to God’s loving shelter and grace.

In her book “Finding Holy in the Suburbs”, Ashley Hales writes, “The work of being beloved is a constant returning…. It is in starting daily liturgies that draw us into beauty that overwhelms and is even present through pain.”

I’m just settling into the idea of daily liturgies.  I’m fascinated by the word. Liturgy, like shalom and beloved, isn’t a word that crossed my thoughts or tongue until recently. 

Liturgies. Sacrament. Ritual. Ceremony. Observance. 

I slip reverently into the quiet, daily work of observing, of turning to the process of continually walking with Jesus step by step. 

Last week I wrote of intentional choices for our Fall season.  Choices that would prepare us for the new year, not in calorie intake or miles walked, but in deep soul ways. 

As the week continued, my mind returned over and over to Paul’s teaching in Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 

In church, our pastor taught, “We don’t drift into a closer relationship with God or a life prioritized by Him.  We must choose.”

In Bible study I read, “It [patience]’s not a gift, it’s a fruit.  A fruit starts out small and then grows with time and proper nurturing.”

Each book I opened and teaching I received brought me back to this idea…. We must choose.  The fruit grows neither on its own nor immediately.  We must reach out our hands and accept God’s gift of amazing grace.  We must constantly return to God’s redemption story.    

Today, I offer you nine simple practices, liturgies if you will, to move into those intentional choices.  Each practice connects to one of the spiritual fruits found in Galatians 5.  Each also contains a verse for meditation. 

Love

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13:13

Choose to love your family in words and actions.  Speak only affirming words to others about those you love.

Joy

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”

Psalm 98:19

When your mind wanders into the darkness of anxiety, turn back to remembering the joy God’s given.  Remember a loving act by someone close to you, a kind word or God’s grace and faithfulness. 

Peace

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as your trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

Take a moment before getting out of the car to take a deep breath.  Not to check phone calls or messages or deliver a behavior reminder to those in the car, but just to add a pause to the rush of life.  Pause and breathe in God’s peace. 

Patience

“A hot-tempered person stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.”

Proverbs 15:13

Disengage from conversations full of strife.  Engage with respect when disagreement is warranted and necessary. 

Kindness

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Colossians 3:12

Take a moment before your workday begins, be that before children wake up or before clients walk through your door, pray God opens your eyes to specific ways to show kindness.

Goodness

“And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.”

Ephesians 4:29

Write an encouraging note.  Say kind words to silence hateful ones. 

Faithfulness

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

Proverbs 3:3

Spend time with God’s Word each day. 

Gentleness

“Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.”

Proverbs 16:24

Smile.  Let’s pay attention to our faces.  Focus on smiling even when we aren’t sure we mean it… yet.   

Self-Control

“For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

2 Timothy 1:7

Set parameters for social media.  Let’s check the screen time for ourselves, as well as our children.  (In full transparency, I’m always shocked at my usage!)

Sweet friends, the calendar flies through the fall season.  What will we do these last days of 2019 to make our 2020 soul-story one we want to be living? 

Hugs, love and blessings – Bethany