A Fruit-Filled Life

No temptation has seized you that isn’t common for people. But God is faithful. He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 CEB

If we are willing to consider a perhaps fuller, more comprehensive reading of the text, what can we take away from our reading? First, and very, very importantly, God is faithful and in control. Things are going to change. We have no idea when, but eventually, the kingdom of God will come. Second, we have to acknowledge our temptation to chase our tails when we get anxious and follow other gods. This is what 1 Corinthians 10 is talking about. It’s talking about humanity’s instinctive desire to plan for its own survival when it doubts that God is in control. It shows up in the various ways we chase idols. Whether it is a golden calf like they did in the Old Testament or the relentless pursuit of security and success in today’s society, we bail on God anytime we get scared or impatient.

What Paul is suggesting is that this is common, and so it will be true for us. It’s gonna happen. We can prepare for it by making a different choice: persevere.

We persevere by chasing after the distinct ways of God. We ask ourselves, what are the things that are uniquely and distinctively of God? We find the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control - and we persevere in living a fruit-filled life. We don’t argue with people on Facebook because it probably violates a bunch of those fruity qualities. We don’t punch back when someone hurts us. We persevere in the ways of the Lord even when it feels like the cards are stacked against us. And friends, they are stacked against us if we believe the point is winning.

But the point is not winning. It’s not avoiding temptation so that we lose ten pounds or do not cheat on our spouse. It’s persevering so that we make choices that would preclude cheating as an option. See the difference?

Instead of staring at a list of “don’ts”, we peer intently into the light of God’s ways and we stick to the journey of chasing the things that are distinctively of God even as we struggle, feel anxious and even afraid.

I choose protein smoothies over egg Mcmuffins because of what I want out of my life, not to avoid temptation. What do you choose?

The Welcoming Prayer

Oh Tiger, Tiger, what if you could believe that God makes everything come out right? What if we believed the same? Spend some time today reminding yourself that as a faithful person, this is actually what you sign up to believe when you commit yourself to God.

Some days I have no words to express my heart’s longings. That’s ok! We know the Spirit is groaning on our behalf like Serena Williams in the middle of a crucial match point. But some days I WANT words, and when those days hit, I often turn to the prayers of others who have gone before me. The Welcoming Prayer is one of my favorites. When I pray it, I am practicing faith even when filled with doubt, courage even when overcome with fear. I pray this prayer as a way of naming my intentions - to believe that God is for me, not against me; that his hand is upon me as support and encouragement, not to punish or manipulate me. It is short and specific. I admit to God and myself that my assessments may feel certain in the moment but have often proven unreliable. I commit my intention to let go of those false strategies that honestly, never worked that great anyway. I let go of my desire to control life, rather than surrender to God’s presence in my life. Join me?

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

I welcome everything that comes to me in this moment because I know it is for my healing.

I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations and conditions.

I let go of my desire for security.

I let go of my desire for approval.

I let go of my desire for control.

I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself.

I open to the love and presence of God and the healing action and grace within.

By Mary Mrozowski*

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A note about Mary. She was a founding member of Chrysalis House, a contemplative community in Warwick, New York. She was a vital spiritual force, well-known for her deep spirituality and love of God.