PART II: Year Round Christmas Spirit–Joy Like Never before!

“But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience & endurance), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….

Galatians 5:22-23

Today, in Part II of our Christmas series, ‘Year Round Christmas Spirit,’ we will continue to look at the secret to having the spirit of Christmas all year-long as a lifestyle choice, rather than just 5 weeks a year. During that short time, as I previously said, people often seem to be a little kinder, more joyous, generous and thoughtful; more caring, uplifted, and yes—perhaps even more forgiving of others. So why is that?

 

Holy Scripture presents a wonderful parallel to the Christmas Spirit. The Bible talks about something called the Fruit of the (Holy) Spirit—the gift that Jesus left the Apostles (and us) after Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Actually, I’m sure you will agree that the Christmas Spirit very much resembles the Fruit of the Spirit that we just learned about in this scripture:

“But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience & endurance), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….

Galatians 5:22-23

You Are Loved

This biblical description of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit certainly sounds like the Christmas Spirit, doesn’t it? Well, I believe the Christmas Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit are very, very similar. And they both hinge on one thing—Love. Love of God, and love of others. When you understand that you are loved by God unconditionally, beyond measure, it is much easier to strive to Love God, and hence, to love and serve Him, and to love others. In fact, embracing the great Love God has especially for you is imperative to growing in faith.

 

As Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, God’s Only Son, we are called to be as loving, kind, joyous, and forgiving of others as humanly possible. But how? The answer is we can do it with God’s help and consistently loving and showing kindness to others.

 

The Benefits of Kindness

It’s not always easy to practice kindness, as we can get in our own way by being too busy, impatient, selfish, and/or short-tempered. But practicing kindness daily can make it possible to share God’s Love and grace with others year-round, rather than mainly during the Christmas season. The truth is, if we could consciously choose to adopt the Christmas Spirit, by sharing the Fruit of the Spirit, through the power of the Holy Spirit as a lifestyle all year long, rather than just 5 weeks a year. By so doing, we would be well on our way to living out God’s plan for us–and the benefits are life-giving and life-changing.

Love and kindness are the gateways to living a faith-filled life. When we practice unselfish kindness, we find joy in our lives. Our relationships improve, and we find peace in our day. When we are kind, we are more apt to practice patience, encourage others, and endure great things. And best of all, we can grow in our relationship with Our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.

Kindness & Joy

So let’s take a minute to talk about joy. It is one of God’s finest gifts to us—one of the Fruit of the Spirit, that we can experience when we embrace kindness as a way of life. So yes—it all begins with the choice to be kind. Joy in the Lord brings strength and comes through prayer, and giving us enduring peace in every situation.

Joy is far beyond worldly happiness. It comes from God, even in times of adversity. Conversely, happiness is a fleeting feeling. There is a domino effect with joy and kindness that leads us to all of the other Fruit of the (Holy) Spirit. And they are all intertwined. Joy, in particular, strengthens us, and enables us to endure great things. For scripture also tells us:

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

The Greatest New Years Resolution

In closing, the good news is that if we can try to be a little kinder, generous, patience, thoughtful, and forgiving during the holiday season, we can certainly make the choice to embrace the Christmas Spirit year round as a regular part of our lives. These are all gifts from God that we can freely share with others daily via the Holy Spirit that resides in us. When we experience and share the Christmas Spirit, it really exemplifies the Fruit of the (Holy Spirit) given to us by Jesus, and enables us to share Him with freely with others. Kindness is something we can consciously practice daily, not for just 5 weeks of the year.

Invite the Holy Spirit In

So let’s invite the Holy Spirit in today, and see how our lives change for the better. Let the Christmas Spirit be the springboard to living your new, best life by living the Christmas Spirit year-round. Pray for the Holy Spirit to come into your life, and that of your loved ones, and the Fruit of the (Holy) Spirit will be yours.

 

I hope you enjoy this Christmas season in full measure. Let your New Year’s resolution this year include inviting the Holy Spirit into your life, while striving to be kinder to those around you. Then watch how the Lord blesses you with peace and joy like never before. You may be pleasantly surprised at how your life changes for the good with God’s help, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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

Romans 15:13

Copyright 2022   |   Adele M. Gill

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