Finding change

Today is January 3. The ninth day of Christmas on the calendar. In the song of the twelve days, the gift on the ninth day was “Nine ladies Dancing”. This is generally thought to represent the list of nine things found in Galatians chapter 5 verse 22

“The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness,6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control.”

This would be a good day to keep these before me and to remember that the word fruit is singular, meaning that these all need to be present as part of the fruit. If gentleness and kindness are not there then the rest of the fruit is not palatable.

A quote from Kathleen Norris about prayer:

“I have learned that prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you cannot imagine.”

My tendency is to pray that others will change, but I am finding more and more that the required change needs to be in me. Seeking God causes change to happen in my heart.
It is a good thing to be overwhelmed by God.

We are singing a new chorus at church that says it really well:

The more I seek you
The more I find you
The more I find you
The more I love you

I want to sit at your feet
Drink from the cup in your hand
Lay back against you and breathe
And feel your heartbeat

This love is so deep
It’s more than I can stand
I melt in your peace
It’s overwhelming