THE ANSWER

A wise man once said: It is one thing to receive the answer to your prayer request and it is another thing to experience the answer. 

It is right to desire to grow in character and to exhibit the virtues that are characteristic of Children of the Light.

I find it that praying for the fruits of the Holy Spirit requires a daily decision to die to self. It is one thing to say, "I die daily and an entirely different thing to actually die to yourself."

For the manifestation of the fruits, the seed must first be planted in the ground. 

The seed must be covered. 

How do we bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit without Him partaking in the process? 

For He is that water that causes the awakening of the embryo which is hidden within the seed coat. 

When He comes, He causes the bursting of your seed coat (that protective covering you have placed around yourself which inhibits the manifestation of all the gifts He has deposited inside you). 

For some of us, it is only the Holy Spirit who can break up our seed coats- even our conscious decisions and efforts to do so will prove futile. 

The question I ask myself is, "Am I ready to let go of the defences I have built?"

"Am I prepared to go through the phase of death  and the period of quiet and stillness as these virtues are being worked out inside me?"

"Am I ready to experience those conditions which would require the working out of these fruits?"

" Am I ready to exercise kindness or goodness when the only expected human response at that point in time is revenge?"

"Am I ready to show love to the one who treats me with scorn?"

"Am I ready to be joyful even when I feel like lying in bed and crying myself to sleep?"

"Am I ready to stay at the feet of Jesus even when I feel like He has forsaken me?"

"Am I ready to still have faith in Him when the indicators show that I shouldn't?"

"Am I willing to wait on Him when He tells me to?"

"Am I willing to exercise self-control when I so much desire to hold my beloved when the time is not right?"

"Am I ready to settle for peace when there is turbulence all around me?"

These are a lot of questions to answer: they are overwhelming if you ask me.

In trying to figure out how to answer all these I am reminded of this scripture:

Romans 5:3-5

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 

This sums it all up.

God is Faithful; He will not let you be tested beyond what you cannot bear.

God bless you!

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