Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Not long ago, i was reading and meditating on the verse in Galatians that talks about the fruit of the Spirit. I've come to realise that so much emphasis has been placed on things like speaking in tongues, don't get me wrong there's absolutely nothing wrong with speaking in tongues but i believe there's a major component that has been neglected and that's the fruit of the Spirit

I have read the above verses so many times in my walk with God but never quite understood what they meant, it's not until i stopped reading between the lines and begun hearing what God was saying, is the moment i understood what Paul was saying. For starters what i now understand is that it is the fruit of the Spirit not the fruits of the Spirit. What this means is that the all nine fruits are connected to each other, that is love is connected to self-control, gentleness is connected to peace, joy is connected to kindness....etc They are all components of the Holy Spirit so i cannot claim to love when i do not have self-control because they all work together. That revelation that it's the "fruit" not the "fruits" of the Spirit just opened my eyes to see a whole new world that i had never seen before because i've also placed emphasis on other things concerning the Spirit of God and neglected its fruits. So the evidence of the Spirit is my life is the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

It's in the valleys we grow

Sometimes life seems hard to bear
It's then i have to remember
That it's in the valleys i grow.

If i always stayed on the mountain tops
And never experienced pain
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow
Sometimes i need the mountain tops
But it's in the valleys i grow.

I don't always understand
Why things happen as they do
i am very sure of one thing
My Lord will see me through.

My lilttle valleys are nothing
When i picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death
His victory was the devil's loss.

Forgive me Lord for complaining
When im felling very low
Just give me a reminder
That it's in the valleys i grow.

Continue to strengthen me Lord
And use my life each other
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank You for the valleys Lord
For this one thing i know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it's in the valleys i grow.

In life, challenges will always arise but it is in those seasons of trials that we grow the most. When you're in your valley always rejoice as James 1:2-4 instructs" Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." When you rejoice during your pain, it takes the focus off the situation and magnifies God because nothing that you face can never be bigger than God.