Dancing in the Rain Cyril Prabhu

It is no coincidence that Paul puts “love” first in the fruit of the Spirit. The Greek word for love in this instance is agape.
It is the highest form of the different kinds of love expressed by distinct Greek words, including eros (romantic love), philia (friendship love) and storge (familial love).
Agape is the kind of love God has for his creation. It is pure, selfless and self-sacrificing. It seeks the best for others — even enemies — at all times, at all costs. A beautiful description of agape love is found in the Bible verses of
1 Corinthians 13, a well-known passage of Scripture.
God showed his agape love for us in sacrificing his only Son to save us from our sinful nature.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

The joy, Paul refers to in Galatians 5 is much deeper than a sense of happiness or gladness from life’s circumstances. It is a profound delight and rejoicing that comes from knowing and serving God.
 
The Bible describes the importance of this divine joy to the Christian’s life:
Nehemiah 8:10,
And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”

Peace is an unshakeable inner calm that can be a rare quality in turbulent times.
We, in the walk with the Lord,  can call on God’s Holy Spirit to impart a sense of peace when things seem to be spinning out of control.
And the peace that comes from the Spirit is not just a small comfort.
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In Philippians 4:6 – 7,  Paul describes it as beyond human understanding in one of Scripture’s most reassuring passages:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 5:22 – 23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law._________________________
Forbearance is the characteristic or quality of greatness of spirit, a person who faces adversity with courage, in the Bible we see that this is a virtue of those who are good and generous and have faith in God to help solve their problems.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Ephesians 4: 1-2 (NIV)
We may seem weak in the eyes of the world or even foolish in maintaining this conduct, but in truth this fruit of the Spirit, helps us to have discernment and wisdom to resolve adversities with the wisdom that comes from above.
Mercy, patience, tolerance and self-control, are words that relate directly to this fruit and are essential characteristics for those who have been saved.
In Christ – we are a new creature, because our Heavenly Father is long-suffering, has patience with us even with people making so many mistakes .
God has so much mercy on us that he gave his only son to die on the cross for you and me.
The idea of forbearance arises in the Bible under different words.
Forbearance could be explained as showing patience, even though a thing is owed to us.
It is holding back or restraining the self from doing something that is normal to do. It is controlling oneself when provoked or offended.

Today, we will focus on kindness!In a world often fraught with negativity and strife, the call to embody kindness is ever more vital. So, let us explore together what it means to cultivate the fruit of kindness in our lives.
Kindness is not merely superficial nicety or a random act of goodwill. It goes deeper.
Kindness is the deliberate choice to extend grace, compassion, and generosity to others, regardless of their deservingness or circumstances.
It springs from a heart that is attuned to the needs of others and seeks to alleviate their burdens.
 

Galatians 5: 22 - 23
 
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.