*Picture courtesy of Lori from all you have to give; click to visit her blog.
- The following is a prayer, as written in my journal, based upon personal notes and sermons.
My Prayer Regarding the Fruit of the Spirit
Father let love abound above all! As love grows, the others will follow. Let us exercise communion with you. Help us to walk in strong affection, warmth, enthusiasm, devotion and assurance. Give us the ability and strength to will to love beyond our feelings.
Help us to find that place of true intimacy with you to the point that we will know and understand what it means to have a spiritual love affair in your presence without perceiving this as an unhealthy emotion.
We are your Bride. As we come to know you in this place, we will find this true in other relationships.
Help us to thrive in the passions of your desire.
Let your joy spring up within us as a new bud in the springtime. We will delight in prospect of our promise in you. We will rejoice and be glad! Your praise will continually be in our mouths as we will possess it and it will manifest!
We will be thankful out of obedience and faith—not our feelings and circumstances.
Our delight is in you and our joy is in the cross.
We will come together in peace, in unity and in agreement. We will be tranquil and quiet in your Presence, silent in the storm. We will exercise freedom from every oppressive thought and emotion. You will calm the winds and waves. Our song shall be harmonious as we stand together with you. A sweet sound to your ears.
We will dance in our longsuffering, loving without offense. We will learn patience and endurance as we wait upon you.
We will show forth your gentleness and goodness in our consideration for others. We will be sensitive, unselfish and kind. We will do unto others as you would have us to.
We will cover ourselves in faith! Lord, help us to trust in You forsaking all. We swear allegiance to You, Your Word and Your Will. We will be loyal and sincere, while standing firm in our foundation! We will refuse all reservations, doubts and questions. We will walk in our faith, not in our sight! There is no place for fear in us. We are Your children.
We will walk in strong conviction and certainty, in belief and in trust.
As you have said. . . You will also do!
We will show a heart of meekness while being submissive, yet we will be strong and not weak. We will do all things in moderation as you are the scale that weighs our balance. You are the voice of our courage.
And last, we seek to exercise restraint with temperance while abstaining from evil.
