The Fruit of the Spirit in Times of Political Chaos
Staying rooted in values when the world feels unstable
This article blends the prophetic and the pastoral to speak to the political. It is an all-too-rare blend of themes that we need to cultivate in these times. If you appreciate my unique approach, support this work by becoming a paid subscriber today.
The unfortunate reality is that we cannot, at least in the short term, stop much of the horribleness coming from the White House.
But that does not mean we must be mere spectators to the collapse of democracy in the United States.
In these times, when we cannot control much of what happens externally, we must focus on who we are internally.
We have to focus on values, virtue, and character.
They can use laws, policies, and the power of the state to strip us of our civil rights and rip away any semblance of order, but they can never take our integrity.
Trump and his coterie of cronies have created a political earthquake. The massive tremors have resulted in a tidal wave of chaos.
It towers stories and stories high. Already it has capsized the lives of many.
The immigrants who came to this country to escape poverty and persecution only to find ICE agents ready to deport them.
The government workers who faithfully logged on to their computers every day to do the unheralded but essential work of keeping bureaucracy running who suddenly found themselves out of a job.
The people working in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion whose main goal was to make sure everyone had a seat and a voice at the table who have abruptly found their entire department defunded and eliminated.
You may not have been directly affected yet, but already the shadow of the tidal wave looms over every community in this nation. It will strike. It’s not a question of if but when.
In this moment, we have a decision to make: Who will we be when the wave of political chaos deluges us personally?
For some, that decision is already past tense because they are right now wading through the floodwaters of political persecution.
For others of us, we still have time to decide.
What kind of character, what kind of virtue, what values will define us in this moment?
As I pondered who I want to be right now, I remembered that, for the Christian, our character and values are already summarized in Scripture.
Who we must be in this time of ever-growing social destruction is defined by the fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
~ Galatians 5:22-23
How do we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit? Three methods come to mind:
Pray for the Fruit of the Spirit
In times of complexity, we must be careful not to overlook the simplest answers. In this case, a simple but powerful act we can do is pray for the fruit of the Spirit.
Ask God to grow the fruit of the Spirit within you. Request that God help you exhibit the fruit in your daily life and especially in the context of our current political landscape.
Prayer centers us and keeps us rooted in God’s presence. In times of turmoil, prayer becomes both a refuge and a source of power. It reminds us that, although we may feel powerless, we are never without divine support.
Prayer does not have to be long or elaborate. It can be as simple as crying out for help, grieving losses and oppression, offering gratitude for small mercies, or simply listening to hear what God is speaking to our hearts.
Through prayer, we align our spirit with God’s Spirit, making room for the fruit of the Spirit to grow within us.
Ponder the Fruit of the Spirit
Pondering means meditating on the fruit of the Spirit to better understand what it means and how it manifests in your life.
Other aspects of pondering include reflecting on our experiences and learning from history. Pondering also means listening deeply—to the voices of the oppressed, to the wisdom of elders, and to the stirrings of our own conscience.
Here are some guiding questions to help you ponder the fruit of the Spirit:
Which fruit of the Spirit do you most long to grow in your life?
When have you witnessed the fruit of the Spirit transforming a difficult situation?
What stories from history inspire you to embody these virtues?
How can listening deeply to others strengthen your moral resolve?
When we intentionally slow down to contemplate what is true, what is good, and what is worthy of our attention, we cultivate wisdom and prepare ourselves for persecution.
As we ponder, we clarify our values and strengthen our moral resolve.
Practice the Fruit of the Spirit
Faith without works is dead. Fruit without action is rotten.
The fruit of the Spirit matures through consistent practice. Practice is where faith becomes embodied.
We practice love through acts of kindness and generosity. We practice patience by listening before speaking. We practice gentleness by responding to hostility with grace.
Each time we choose actions that align with the fruit of the Spirit, we strengthen those virtues in ourselves.
Practice is not about perfection but persistence. In a world bent on chaos, practicing the fruit of the Spirit becomes an act of defiance and hope.
In a time when so much is beyond our control, who we choose to be is still within our power.
We cannot stop the waves from crashing, but we can decide how we will stand.
Which fruit of the Spirit feels most challenging for you to cultivate in today’s political climate, and how do you seek to embody it in your daily life?
To see the fruit of the Spirit in action and ponder how to exhibit them today, read The Spirit of Justice.
Thank you. I will read this more than once. I appreciate when you speak as an historian. But ,during these restless times ,I cherish when you speak as a pastor even more.
Thanks you for reminding us that in the end we must always act in accordance with our values and our beliefs, and not merely lash out against what we perceive as injustice. Otherwise we are no better than "they" are. And also for reminding us that we are engaged in a spiritual endeavor and not merely a political one.