When I was younger, I believed that to appear holy, you had to know Bible verses perfectly or by heart. However, now that I am older, I understand that the goal isn’t to look holy at all. Instead, God wants us to be transformed through the Holy Spirit and practical application of His word.
Instead of just reciting scripture, how can we actually apply its teachings in our lives?
Over time, as I began to read the Bible, I shifted my approach. Instead of using it merely to feel good or to appear wise, I started to use it as the primary source through which I would evaluate all of my thoughts and actions.
How does God want me to think?
How does God want me to speak?
How does God instruct me to treat others?
How does God want me to treat Him?
Verse 1:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
This verse helped me hear God’s voice more clearly and reshaped my prayer life. I broke this verse down into two steps that I apply today to better discern God’s words.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”
- Before making any decision, I lay my heart before the Lord. I share my thoughts—whether good or bad—my desires, whether common or unusual, and my emotions, whether happy or sad. This practice helps me get to the root of feelings that may not align with God’s will. It also aids in distinguishing my voice from God’s. The heart can be deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), and if we do not acknowledge or confront what lies within us, it becomes easy to confuse our desires with God’s intentions for us.
“in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”
- Next, I read the Bible and find a principle that appropriately and contextually matches my situation. I submit to it, regardless of whether it is within my comfort zone or may make me uncomfortable.
Verse 2:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
This verse is what God instructed me to use as a guide for my actions. Whenever I’m about to react to a situation, He prompts me with the question: “Will this action showcase my fruits, or will it lead to an act of the flesh prevailing?”
I often assess whether I am keeping in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). If I find myself acting contrary to this verse, I recognize that I need to repent for allowing my flesh to take control. Moreover, before I react, I remind myself to think ahead and consider the larger consequences of my actions.
No act of the flesh is insignificant in the effects it has on us and the Kingdom of God: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and more. Similarly, no fruit of the Spirit is passive. There have been many times when the Enemy has tempted me with the lie that God’s fruit is “weak,” but each time, God has shown me its true power. His fruit is what sets us apart from the rest of the world. While everyone else lives in strife, anger, sexual immorality, and division, His fruit becomes more attractive because it is rare and correctly exhibits Jesus’ characteristics.
Verse 3:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
Fruit helps me evaluate my actions, while love helps guard my thoughts. Whenever I have a thought about another person that contradicts this verse, I recognize that it does not come from God. God is love (1 John 4:8); therefore, each stanza is a direct description of His character. If I want to be more like God, I need to align my actions with His ways and my thoughts with His thoughts.
Each year, God prompts me to revisit this passage, revealing areas in my life where I need improvement. With every reading, I deepen my understanding of who God is and learn how to honor Him and represent Him to others more effectively.
Final Thoughts
The entire Bible is filled with all the wisdom and knowledge we need. I strongly believe that we should meditate on it daily, reading all verses rather than cherry-picking through the scripture. However, as I read the Gospels, I noticed that Jesus had three main desires for His disciples, as described in John 15:1-17.
- To obey His commands
- To love one another
- To bear good fruit
I cherish the three passages mentioned because they embody the key themes that Jesus wants me to develop.