Tag: fruit of the spirit

Peace

Peace

by Mark Anton

Peace – no, we’re not talking about throwing up those deuces, but the “My peace I leave with you” and the “in the world you will have tribulation but take heart for I have overcome the world” kind of peace.

In other words, we’re talking about the true and lasting peace that ‘transcends all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus’(Philippians 4:7).

So what is this peace? Why is it so important and where can we find it?

St Augustine was a man who once indulged in all the world had to offer and despite all his experiences and endeavours in the world, he famously concluded that “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You,”

St Isaac the Syrian also echoed this when he said that “in all the paths that men walk in the world, they do not attain peace until they draw nigh to hope in God.”

St Augustine and St Isaacaccurately diagnosed the yearning for inner peace that we all have inside of us and the only place we can find it.Said another way, there are many things the world has to offer us, and they can often appear to promise us peace and rest, but they will fail to deliver because the source of true and lasting peace is God alone.

The Lord Himself spoke of this type of peace when he told his disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He spoke of His imminent departure and then encouraged His disciples not to be troubled or afraid because He will provide the true and lasting peace that is different from the peace the world knows:

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

In his Nativity message on Luke 24, HH Pope Shenouda III explains the different types of peace that every person needs in their life – peace with God, peace with people and peace of the heart – and that we cannot attain true inner peace unless we learn to trust in God. That is, if we place our lives in our own hands or the hands of other people, we will always be troubled, but if we believe that our lives are in God’s hands, we will find rest.

Those who trust in God and His planning for their lives are not troubled or restless and exude a peace that is tangible and visible.

To have peace with God is to live a life of righteousness and, conversely, when our relationship with God is shaken, we lose our inner peace which is the result of sin and distancing ourselves from God. He who lives in peace with God will naturally live in peace with others, and those who have attained true peace reflect this in their interactions with others – they bear with patience and will pardon and forgive others.

Our Lord Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and the source of peace Himself. In Christ’s life, we have the shining example of peace. Not only did our Lord live a life of non-violence, and exemplify peace in the external sense of the word, but He also gave those around Him rest and comfort. St Anatoly of Optina said that wherever God is there is peace and that where there is everything ruinous, proud and hostile, there is the devil. We know that in the world we will have tribulations (John 16:33), and so peace does not mean to be in a place where there are no external disturbances but rather to be amid all those things and still have peace in our hearts.

We have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, and so like the disciples sitting in the upper room, we too can hope in God for true peace during our difficulties.

Self Control

Self Control

by Marc Bastawrous 

There was once a city in a land surrounded by a number of smaller cities and kingdoms. It was a city of wide avenues and little, quiet places to sit and eat. A city to stop and relax as people passed through during their travels across this vast land. There were the villages on the outskirts, where the original inhabitants of the grand city resided. The rest was parks and wild spaces, a chance to walk among nature or enjoy the trails on carriages or horseback. Yet perhaps the most beautiful thing about the city was the river that flowed through the length of the city, crossing the bridges, and terminating at a large body of water that faced the castle at the city’s centre. It was this river that filled its citizens with pride and those of neighbouring cities with envy.

One night, the prince overlooking the city was awoken from his sleep by a loud commotion outside his room. Within moments, his door was broken down and men with torches and forks were standing over his bed. “We have come to take the city – it is ours!” they all exclaimed with ferocious elation. The prince, still in shock and fearful of his life, mustered a response and replied, “but, how did you break into the city?” The apparent leader of the pack, scoffing in his direction answered, “my good sir, we did not need to break in, your city has no walls.”

It’s an interesting little story about a famous city called “I-Just-Made-It-Up” – but what does this city have anything to do with ‘Self-Control’?

The answer? Everything.

This is the exact picture that King Solomon painted when he wrote about self-control in Proverbs 25:28.

“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.”

And in another translation:

“Like a city that is open, and without any walls surrounding it,  is a man who cannot refrain his own spirit from speaking.”

 The reason this picture of self-control is so extreme is to emphasise its importance in our spiritual lives – or rather, our livesin general. For starters, in our daily lives, we constantly deceive ourselves into thinking we are in control proclaiming proudly things such as:

“I will not eat that donut.”

“I will not be distracted by social media while I try and complete this assignment/work task.”

“I will not honk at that person who cut me off.”

“I will not commit that one repeated sin I have been struggling so long to shake off.”

And many others, but you get the idea.

Biblically, the idea of self-control is prominent to say the absolute least. Indeed, in St Paul’s letter to the Galatians, it is the climactic fruit of the Spirit. The one he chooses to leave them with right at the end.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul warns those without self-control to marry saying:

“If they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” (1 Cor. 7:9)

In fact, I would go as far to say that the idea of self-control formed the centre of St Paul’s thinking regarding the spiritual struggle which he addresses in Romans 7, saying:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” (Rom 7:15-20)

The picture he paints is one we are so accustomed to. It is so easy for us to fall into this repeated sin we have tried so long to shake off. However, even though ee try so hard to do good, we always seem to fall short. We fall short of praying at night when we come home tired from work. We fall short of loving our family and friends when they’ve done something to hurt us. We fall short of waking up early to attend the liturgy from the beginning, even though we prepared so well for it the night before. We fall short of helping our neighbour who is in need because well, “when have they ever done anything for me?” We are so used to falling short of being in control of our lives. So then, what is the solution?

When St Paul asked this very same question, before he had even given himself a chance to ponder it, he already knew the answer.

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:24-25)

Through Christ. Christ is the only one who can save us from the wretchedness that is a lack of self-control. And so, our focus then should not be on achieving self-control. True control of self is to submit and allow ourselves to be Christ-controlled.

If we admit to him our weakness and give ourselves to the path He has made for us, only then will we become free of this struggle for self-control. True freedom is found in surrender.

And now, if we look back to our verse in Proverbs, we will discover something interesting. In the original Hebrew, the verse is not translated, ‘man is likea city.’ The word ‘like’ in the original Hebrew is absent – and so, the verse translated is:

“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is a city broken down, without walls.”

We are the magnificent city with a flowing river, created by God to be a light amongst the nations. If we are to protect the city from vandals, we must build a strong wall, and that wall, is Christ. Though your heart may be the prince residing over the city, we must invite Him to be King. And if we surrender to His command, He will guard our kingdom and give his beloved city, the rest he yearns.

Meekness

Meekness

by Natalie Hanna 

Holding a newborn is not an easy task. If it’s your first time the mother will likely serve you a set of instructions and special conditions, if she could, she definitely would make you sign a liability contract- but somehow, someway, just by instinct, even the clueless know you have to handle a baby with precision and care.

If I ask you to recall your childhood trauma’s, I’m sure you’ll have quite a few stories to share, but amongst them is likely a look, or a whisper from your father after a traitorous act you dared to commit in public or directly after being told against. And surely you know from your time on earth that the ability to truly comfort a broken person is a SKILL only few have mastered- I bet you’re thinking of that one person who did that for you, pretty incredible that you were able to laugh at the end of the conversation aye?

Now think back to the last time you watched a talent show, is there not always a likeable quality about someone who performs brilliantly but still doesn’t know how good they are? Or do you prefer the nuisance that may also be talented but strides it each chance they get- I thought not.

When we witness someone handle a situation which deserves anger and gnashing of teeth with due care and diligence, overcoming it without overselling it, we are impressed- be it on a minor scale such as avoiding road rage, or on a major scale such as Paralympic Champions.

The overlooked qualities underlying these overlooked situations, and the focus of my discussion today are gentleness and meekness. I know, I too was itching to write strength. Interesting that gentleness and meekness can be demonstrated in conjunction with strength when they are often stereotyped as contradictory. When visualised through situations it may be evidenced that one’s alibility to compose themselves in gentleness, amidst chaos, and to maintain grounding in success is are admirable and difficult traits which form the foundation of more recognised traits such as strength and endurance.

C.S Lewis states in his book “Mere Christianity” that “the real job of every moral teacher is to keep on bringing us back, time after time, to the old simple principles which we are all so anxious not to see”, and I agree. I believe Jesus through His story, and through His message to us in the Bible came to clarify the things we already know to be good, but do not always recognise and adapt into our lives. And what better way to do that then to live among us, but act beyond our realm?

The king of kings and lord of lords chose to enter the world as a child – like you and me. But no, that would be a lie- that won’t cut it, our God likes a grand entrance, an entrance that would haunt generations and puzzle royalty for centuries to come.

Our God chose a manger, alongside animals and hay. What your mother, and mine would see as a story of dismay, He came to say, hey! There’s no good in display, flashy lights and a highway, for that won’t stay. Downplay, lift your eyes and pray- and that, that will never go away. And the Lord who sees in His secret place, He will reward us abundantly.

In case that wasn’t enough the vessel of his entrance, His mother and ours, St Mary was nothing but a handmaiden, a common girl with no apparent speciality or education. Our standards for high-end service would likely exclude her, but our God chose her. Likely, because she did all she could with the little she had, showing no pride or sympathy towards herself. And“henceforth, all generations shall call her blessed”(Luke 1: 48).

But our Father knew we were thick and needed more a hint, so this wasn’t his only grand entrance. At 30 years of age when Jesus began his formal mission, Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. He had a bit of a reputation by this stage and it was time to stride it, so he chose his best donkey and a set of Palm leaves.  I don’t know about you but when it’s my birthday, or even if I attend a party I often think of my best outfit, but our King did not want that. He wanted the poor to empathize and the rich to recognise, that impact can still be made when you minimize, the show. Instead, He let His actions shine through.

Christians can easily recall the instances when Jesus intentionally lost his temper, at the fig tree and at the temple. This is because there were so very few of them. In all instances Christ remained gentle. He was gentle dealing with the Sinner woman when there was reason not to, he was gentle in asserting knowledge when traditions were broken and He continues to be gentle with us as He was with His disciples when they misunderstood parables and could not see solutions, explaining things via other means.

Through these situations we are able to see that gentleness and meekness is not reticence, compliance or lack of strength. Jesus did not shy away from persecution, arrests or floggings.Jesus was confident, persuasive, even confrontational at times, yet gentle because he used his powers for the greater Good. The same holds for us.  The gentle can be assertive, but they do not assert themselves. We can be strong and assertive, yet gentle if we leverage power not to assert self, but to promote the cause of God or the needy.

Through this, we are illuminated to the fact that true demonstration of meekness and gentleness is not a question is not how strong we are, but howwe use our strength. A silent strength which does not parade itself but rather promotes Good unapologetically. And it is in my view one of the most difficult challenges one can encounter.

But through Christ’s story, and many in the Bible, we are taught how- and furthermore, we already know it. In the back of our minds and enshrined in our conscious with admiration, fragility and restoration, we appreciate it. The harder end now, is to truly balance and apply it. I speak to myself more than anyone else – Be conscious, be diligent and best of luck!

Faithfulness

Faithfulness

by Meray Shehata

Yesterday I walked on water, but today I held Peter’s hand as we both started to drown.

Yesterday I slaughtered the lion, but today I cowered next to Samson as we betrayed You.

Yesterday I watched as Goliath fell, but today nothing could have prepared me for how low I was willing to sink for worldly things.

Yesterday I stood solemnly in my place not willing to budge as You threw blow after blow at me, but today I denied You to lessen my own pain.

Yesterday I wiped Your face with my veil, but today I stabbed You with my spear.

Lord, why do I sometimes accept You when you give me riches but discard You when I have plenty, only to cry out again when the riches have drowned me? I’ve grown to expect the world at my feet but when I have achieved the impossible I lose sight of You in all my success. I declared with all Your people to have brought myselfout of Egypt and then, as if to boost my own ego, I built a golden calf to praise.

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt? (Matt. 14:31)

I have no reason to doubt, I sat with Job as I lost everything but I was also there when my riches all multiplied. Our lungs filled up with water as we drowned but I was there when you took our hand and pulled us out of the water. They cut my hair and reduced me to not even a third of the man I was but You gave me strength to abolish their temple. I killed a man but my name is remembered honourably until now.

What is this faith that people speak so highly of?

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1).

It’s a concept so beautiful, yet so hard to attain. Although I can provide one million reasons for you to have faith, it’s still a constant battle. When tribulation comes knocking, doubt follows soon after. Sadly, doubt doesn’t like announcing itself as it enters your mind.  This uncertainty is much more sly and tends to build up over time, masked by stress or anxiety. Sometimes losing faith is not as simple or clear cut as discontinuing your belief in God but rather a growing distance between God and yourself, when all your mind really yearns for is His embrace. Oftentimes, it seems that the answer is so far away from the truth. If only you get a bit of fresh air, a change of scenery, watch a movie? Then you’ll feel better. Of course, that may work short term as it does for me, but frequently I find myself right where I started if not worse, until I seek Him again.

I tend to see Job as a pillar of faith. How does one man stand to watch everything but his life waste away yet return and pray, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”(Job 1:21). God knew the depth of his faith and when Job hesitated even for a second, God responded in a whirlwind saying, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding.”(Job 38:4).

Although our tribulations sometimes are not as clear as it was for those who came before us and Christ may not appear to pull you out of the water, there is only one solution. Faith. If you knew the plans He had for you, you would stick by Him through it all, but if a faith is never tested, where would it come from? If we are aiming to be filled with virtue and have faith like Job, we need to remember this always. Ask yourself, where were you when He engraved you on the palm of His Hand? Where were you when He made you fearfully and wonderfully in His image? God doesn’t just have a plan for your life, He has the greatest plan. Do not walk begrudgingly through trials and do not assume you’re doing Him a favour when you turn to Him as times get tough.

Remember Job, remember Joseph, remember Moses, remember Esther, remember Abraham and all the characters throughout the Bible and the history of our church. God’s love is magnificent and if you allow Him, He will work in you as He worked in them. Praise Him through the storm and you will not only receive blessings of grace, but your faith will be refined. “Man plans his path, but God direct his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9). Let Him be your guidance. When all we want is to stand on our own two feet, God is placing obstacles along the way to make us soar like eagles.

 

Goodness

Goodness

by Samira Hannaniah

The word “good” will be uttered by an individual hundreds to thousands of times in one whole day, either to express how they feel, describe how a sandwich tastes or even to encourage others on the quality of their work. The word “good” can be used in countless different contexts and reflect a vast variety of meanings. Does the extensive array of meanings to this word change if we add four letters? Is the word “goodness” so different to its derivative, “good”?

As the word “good” can be quite diverse in its connotations, “goodness” is extremely specific and stylized. It comes from the Greek word “agathosune” which means “uprightness of heart and life.” We know “goodness” as one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but the question remains of what goodness entails on our part, and the relationship between goodness and God.

“God is good”

“All the time”

“And all the time…”

“God is good”

This famous call and response between clergy and congregation resonates between all denominations, all cultures and all Christians. And yet, sometimes we struggle to fathom the entirety of God’s goodness. According to HH Pope Shenouda III, the virtue of goodness is an “increase of tenderness, gentleness, meekness and kindness which is distant from harshness and cruelty”. It is an outwardly act, preserved for the benefit of others, seeking only to uplift and better those around. Romans 2:4 elicits the ultimate act of God’s goodness- “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

It is through God’s goodness that we are prompted to repentance. It is through God’s goodness, that we are afforded another chance to return to Him. And it is also through God’s goodness that He persists with us. His Holiness further explains God’s goodness through His persistence for our salvation: – “He does not just forgive the sinner, but goes after the sinner in order to come back to Him, even if he did not want to”.

Why did the father of the Prodigal son celebrate his return and clothe him with the best robe, a ring and sandals? Why did Jesus dine with Zacchaeus the tax collector despite all his evil and injustice? Why did Jesus reveal Himself to the Samaritan woman on account of her honesty with respect to her past? Goodness. It was God’s goodness that reinvigorated a repentant heart within these individuals and several others throughout history.  Goodness has the ability to transform the heart and render it vulnerable to God’s love, promoting an inner desire to come back to Him.

Now the only question that remains: – what effect does Goodness have in your life?

Long Suffering

Long Suffering

by Demiana Salib

The fire you threaten me with cannot go on burning for very long; after a while it goes out. But what you are unaware of are the flames of future judgement and everlasting torment which in store for the ungodly. Why do you go on wasting time? Bring out whatever you have a mind to.

These are the words of Polycarp of Smyrna as he faced his martyrdom. In the written account of the Martyrdom of Polycarp, Polycarp is questioned several times by the Governor and is eventually put to death because he would only reaffirm his faith all the more strongly upon further questioning. The Governor had no real intention of killing Polycarp. Polycarp was a frail, old man that could do no harm – who would want to be responsible for his death? It was a case of “pick on someone your own size.” Despite his frail appearance, the height of his virtue however, moved the hearts of the crowd of unbelievers of which, went on to become Christian.

Although martyrdom does not exist in our world, what does remain is the history of martyrs and those that continue to be martyred in our home country, Egypt. We share in their struggles through prayer. We share in their struggles by elevating their suffering above our own. We share in their struggles by looking upon our own lives and finding reasons to be thankful that far out way our complaints. The very reason we can complain in this day and age is because God has already blessed us to the extent that we have created expectations of Him, but in reality, He doesn’t owe us anything. We, that complain, have been blessed with grace beyond measure. If we fail to recognise these gifts of grace, we fail to acquire patience.

It is much easier to tell God what we think is best, that our ways are higher than His. This present moment that leaves you questioning how your circumstances could be for your benefit is the very feeling that God is using to turn your impatience into patience. We pressure Him in prayer, we treat Him like He is doing His job all wrong. We create a very simple formula. I pray, He answers, I live happily ever after. But there’s so more that we don’t see. Out of His love for us, He carries us, kicking and screaming, because we can only see two steps ahead of us when He sees the whole picture.

We may pray every day so that whatever struggles we are going through, God takes care of. But do we pray in order to brainstorm for God possible solutions to end all our problems? If only He could see how simple the solution really is, He would’ve acted by now. The term, “long suffering” is used interchangeably with “patience.” Yes, you may be suffering, and this may cause you to think that this is the path to acquiring virtue, but if you are not patiently enduring, you are depriving yourself of virtues. God is perfect; we are not. Therefore, we do not test God’s faithfulness; He tests us. In prayer, we do not pray to alert God to our problems; we pray so that we may hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering so that we always remember that He who promised is faithful and will deliver us from all our troubles (Hebrews 10:23).

St Paul had out he called a thorn in his side. A hinderance to his service. But God had other plans. God used his infirmity to teach him the gift of long suffering. While the exact cause of his infirmity is unknown, it is speculated that St Paul was prone to seizures. He prayed relentlessly for the healing of his infirmity, yet was not healed. If speculation of seizures was correct, this is likely to have been both debilitating and humiliating for St Paul. In a time where Christianity was despised and looked down upon, St Paul was also risking his own self-worth for the sake of Gospel, should his infirmity come to light while preaching. Would he choose to wallow in self pity or would he humbly accept his infirmity, look past its potential hindrance and preach the Gospel?

Through the thorn in his side, St Paul became a true example of patience acquired through long suffering. He didn’t know when his infirmity would become a hindrance to his service; all he knew was that he had the message of salvation that needed to be shared, so he took a step, and God blessed it. He recounts the peace that followed when he selflessly chose service over his own self doubt. He says,  “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2. Cor. 12:9-10). It was never God’s intention to hinder Paul’s service, but strengthen him beyond what he thought was attainable. By recognising and giving his infirmities to God, he emptied himself and allowed God to strengthen and fulfil his ministry in a way that is far beyond our understanding of Love.

Patiently endure your tribulations, as difficult as it may sound, especially at first. Learn from every lesson that presents itself as tribulation in your life. Look at the struggles of those around you and see them as greater than your own. Then even your greatest struggles will seem small to the one that elevates those around them. Allow Him to turn your impatience into patience. Your earthly being into a heavenly being of virtue.

“And the more you withdraw yourself from all solace of creatures, so much the sweeter and more powerful consolation shall you find in Me.” – Thomas Kempis