Choices, Chess, and Christ

My youngest son and I were in eastern Kentucky on a mission trip last week. I didn’t have time to post as much as I would have liked. But we are plugging right along through the Bible. I’m pondering choices and how our choices can affect so many people. In 2 Samuel 11-15, we learn of King David’s adultery, his murder of Uriah, and his son Amnon’s evil obsession with his half-sister Tamar, and the fallout that follows.

I love to play chess. I’m not very good, but I love to play. One wrong choice in chess can end the game. Just like life, one wrong choice can ruin your life. The truth is, we all struggle with choices and growing in our faith. None of us gets it right every time, and you are definitely not alone if you sometimes have a hard time. That is why we must stay focused on Jesus. I’m far from perfect, but I do try. The first thing I do when I get up is pray my prayer list, study, and journal the Bible, and it’s helped me tremendously. I want the fruit of the Holy Spirit to manifest in my life. I know I need to focus on Christ and continually nail my selfish desires to the cross; some days, I feel like I’m running out of nails.

‘But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!   Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.’
Galatians 5:22-24

If we want to see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives grow, we can start with small steps each day. For example, each morning, ask God to show you one way you can show love or patience to someone. Or, at the end of your day, reflect on how you acted and consider where you saw this fruit—or where you could let your light shine even more tomorrow. When we choose to focus on the True Vine and nurture even one fruit of the Holy Spirit, our lives naturally reflect Christ more clearly.