As there will be many of these posts, I will put the book title at the beginning of each one and number them, with the chapter in parentheses. You should be able to scan/search more easily for this series of posts within the blog that way.
Tim Chester begins the introduction to the book with several stories of people, all with different life and faith experiences, and varying temptations and weaknesses (pp. 7-8). What I appreciate here is that not all the stories are about some big, bad sin. Some of us have those in our past (or even as a current secret struggle), but this book is not just for that kind of person. It's also for the Christian who may be plugging away, but has no joy.
You'd think Carla was a respectable Christian. She doesn't swear, steal, get drunk, commit adultery, or commit any of the sins by which we measure one another's godliness. But her Christian service has little joy. Often she's irritable, often complaining. (7)
Is the lack of joy a sin? Not exactly-- but joy is a fruit of the Spirit, isn't it? That means a lack of love, joy, peace, etc. is a lack of growth and life in the Spirit. If we're not seeing fruit-- signs and products of life-- then we should be concerned. We want to be alive to God, and God's life to be blossoming in us.
Are there things, like the fruit of the Spirit, that you are not experiencing, even though you are a believer? When you think of the "change" that needs to take place in your life, don't just think of what needs to be removed, but what needs to be added. How would you like God to change you for the better?
Feel free to interact with any of these posts by replying in the comments section.
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