Good Mood Mission - Part Two

Yesterday’s blog post was about a sighting of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, the decal that is located near the rear of the vehicle, how God has His own good mood mission and that the Holy Spirit can take our attitude (mood) and turn it into something pleasing to God.

I started going through the fruit of the Spirit and expanded on each of them. If you missed yesterday’s blog post, you might want to read that now.

In Good Mood Mission – Part One, I broke down the first four fruit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Love, joy, peace, and patience. Today we will finish with the last five.

Kindness

There is another list of characteristics listed in Colossians 3:12-14. This section includes some of the same attributes listed in Galatians 5. Perhaps we should take note of those repeated.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12 – NIV) Yes, kindness makes this list. Has someone ever treated you with kindness? How did it make you feel? If you’re like me, it was an encouragement to you. You felt special.

God has shown His kindness to you and me. He has made us feel special. He has encouraged us. And when we didn’t deserve His kindness, He lavished it upon us. Christ’s death is proof of that.

Sometimes however, it is difficult to be kind to someone who has hurt us. But, as Christ has shown His kindness to us, we are to show kindness to the world. Allowing God’s Spirit to make a change in our attitude will produce this fruit. Let the good mood transition begin!

Goodness

Goodness is another trait that made the second list. Actually, it has made several lists. 2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV) tells us, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge…For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Goodness, as defined by my NIV Study Bible, “depicts excellence expressed in deeds—virtue in action.”[i]

I’m pulling out Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) again. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Do you see it? Good works. Goodness not only is an attitude and attribute, it is also an action word.

Goodness in our lives is proof that the Holy Spirit is at work within us to create a good mood.

Faithfulness

We can see God’s faithfulness throughout Scripture. I’m certain you can even see His patience in your own life. I know I can. God has faithfully stood by and watched as I allowed sin to creep into my life. As I pulled away from God, His love, and His grace. Faithfully waiting until I came back into His arms. This is the faithfulness God has called us to. To be faithful to Him as He is to us.

We know how to be faithful. In marriages or relationships. In commitments to earthly activities. To a diet or exercise plan. To whatever you have placed in high priority in your life. You are faithful.

We must be that committed and faithful to our relationship with God.

In the midst of the Overseers and Deacons passage in 1 Timothy, Paul encourages women to “likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.” (1 Timothy 3:11 – NASB)

That’s it. We are to be faithful in all things. Including our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our good mood just continues to get better!

Gentleness

1 Peter 3:1-6 shares instruction on the wife’s role in marriage. But there is a phrase in the middle of this passage that tells us what our mood should be. “…the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight…” (I Peter 3:4b – NIV)

There is a difference between a gentle and quiet spirit and being a door mat. Do not believe or understand me as saying we are to lay down and let others walk all over us. I’m saying we need to keep our attitude in line with God’s. A gentle and quiet spirit says more about us than our own words ever could.

Proverbs 15:1 (NIV) says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” You know this statement is true. That is why God placed gentleness on His list for the good mood mission.

Self-control

[Insert big sigh]. [Insert “ugh”]. [Insert a whining, “whyyyyy???]. Last but not least, self-control makes this good mood mission list. Why? Because God knew we would need His Spirit to help us with this one.

Earlier in the Galatians 5 chapter, Paul states “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” (Galatians 5:17 – NIV)

With God’s Spirit, we are able to use His power to overcome what we have no self-control over. Whether it’s food, television, internet surfing, laziness, addiction, or something else, if we have no control over our bodies or minds, we’ve lost control. We need the Holy Spirit to develop this fruit within us.

Through the years, I’ve lost my battle against food. I’ve allowed food to control me instead of me controlling the food I eat. I’ve been lazy in my addition of exercise to my lifestyle. The weight has increased through the years and now, the physical ailments have crept in to create an old, decrepit body.

What happened? I didn’t utilize God’s Spirit in this area of my life. I thought I could do it on my own. Ha! Look where it got me!

It’s time to stop believing we can do this. That we can steer clear of sin on our own. We can’t! God must be in the middle of each struggle. He’s there to help us. He sent His Spirit to lead and guide us. It’s about time we allowed His good mood mission to take root in our hearts. Are you with me on this one?

There is certainly a lot to talk about when it comes to the fruit of the Spirit. I could probably have written nine posts about them! Maybe someday... But until then, I’m ready for this good mood mission make-over. What about you?

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

---

[i] NIV Study Bible, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan, p. 2566.