The Fruits of the Holy Spirit
It might not be easy to recognize the Holy Spirit, but St Paul has told us that we can recognize when the Holy Spirit is at work because this work produces good fruit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control.” (Gal 5:22-23) Church tradition adds goodness, modesty, and chastity to this Biblical list.
The tree does not “earn” its fruit, but grows fruit dependent on soil, sunlight, and water. We stay connected to Jesus as the vine in order to yield a good harvest of these Christian fruits.
Love: Selfless love, agape in Greek, communicated through service and a willingness to lay down one’s life for a friend. [1 Cor 13]
Joy: Gladness rooted in our relationship with God; spiritual happiness rather than material or physical happiness. [John 15:11]
Peace – Harmony and well-being that comes from operating out of God’s intention for all of creation. [John 14:27]
Patience – Endurance of difficulties without complaint. [Eph 4:1-6]
Kindness – Motivated by goodness and compassion in our actions and attitudes. [Titus 3:4-7]
Generosity – Kindhearted giving of our time, talent, or treasure. [2 Cor 9:7]
Faithfulness – Loyalty and reliability; trustworthiness. [Eph 2:8-9]
Gentleness – Mildness in nature, not as a weakness, but as a humble and respectful outlook. [Col 3:12]
Self-control – Use of discipline or restraint over our desires and emotions [2 Peter 1:5-7]
Goodness – Moral integrity; seeking to do the “right” thing in all circumstances. [Eph 5:8-9]
Modesty – Fitting and suitable behavior in line with Christian morality. [1 Tim 4:12]
Chastity – Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. [1 Cor 6:19-20]