How Can Your Spiritual Gifts Help You Grow In the Fruit of the Spirit?

Growing in the fruit of the Spirit happens in many ways.

From consistent Bible reading and prayer…

…to simply being obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

But what if there’s another way? A sometimes forgotten way? I think there is—and it comes through exercising your spiritual gifts.

Let’s start with the most famous verses regarding the fruit of the Spirit, then dig into what this looks like in our daily lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

It’s easy to see these verses as a list of moral obligations. As benchmarks of what a good Christian should look like.

While this is the anatomy of a believer, the rich life of spiritual fruit isn’t first about doing good things. It’s about the life the Holy Spirit cultivates in us.

The Fruit of the Spirit + Your Spiritual Gifts

So there’s a question we should ask ourselves here. It isn’t first, “How am I growing in the fruit of the Spirit?”

Instead, it’s this question: “Am I walking in the spiritual gifts God has given me?”

You see, Paul told the Corinthian church it’s good to desire spiritual gifts. But what does he first say?

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:1 ESV

Before anything else, pursue love! What is the first facet of the fruit of the Spirit?

Love.

And more, do you know what will help in that pursuit? Walking in the spiritual gifts God has given you.

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 14:12 to say, “…since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.”

To grow in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control… Grow in serving the church through your spiritual gifts.

Questions to Get Started Using Your Spiritual Gifts to Grow in the Fruit of the Spirit

• What are your primary gifts? (See 1 Corinthians 12:8–10 for more on this.)
• Are you serving your local church or community through exercising them?
• Are you obedient to take the chances God has prepared for you to walk in these gifts and do good works (Ephesians 2:10)?
• If not, how can you structure your life around growing and operating in these gifts?

Honestly, when you begin to earnestly desire operating in your spiritual gifts, the fruit of the Spirit will proportionally increase in your life.

Answer the above questions honestly—and get excited… Because God has prepared incredible things for you to experience as you pursue the God who is love.