The Living Word: New beginnings

By Leora Schmidt
thelivingword@mail.com

“Why don’t you like me?” questioned Lois’s house guest.

Lois was shocked. She had been annoyed with her husband for an extended period. Suddenly she realized that she was not treating him right. And her annoyance was carrying over into her attitude toward her house guest.

So Lois turned to the Lord and prayed for him to help her with her attitude. Picking up her Bible she read the familiar text, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...” (Galatians 5:22, 23 NASB).

Heretofore Lois had felt smug, assured of having these positive traits in her life. But this particular day she read the preceding verses, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissension, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these...those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (verses 19-21).

Like an arrow to her heart, Lois felt remorse. She realized that she was acting out some of those hateful traits. Immediately she asked the Lord for forgiveness and a new, clean spirit.

Talk about new beginnings! She made things right with her house guest at once and with her husband in private moments. Since then, her life has been transformed. She has new joy and peace. Her marriage has greatly improved. And she looks forward every day to the opportunities that come to share her joy with others.

At the start of a New Year, each of us thinks of the blank pages ahead, and plans for new beginnings. Like Lois, we too, can seek the joy that comes from turning from “the deeds of the flesh” and accepting the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.