Below is a blog I wrote for my church’s women’s ministry, as part of a series on the Fruits of the Spirit. Enjoy!

I’m a definition gal. One of the first places I go in Bible study or prep-work for the
Bible study we host is to look at the meanings of words in the passage that I am
studying. So when I began my work on “goodness”, in the context of the fruit of the
spirit, I of course went to Galatians 5:22-24 and looked up the original word used for
“goodness”.
The original word the Apostle Paul used for “goodness” was the Greek word
Agathosune (pronounced ag-ath-o-soo’-nay). It means to be intrinsically good, or
inherently good.
That got me thinking – which one of us can claim to be inherently good? I don’t
know about you, but I sure can’t. I’m right there with the Apostle Paul in saying, “Nothing
good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not
the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:18)
Even as regenerate believers, we can claim no goodness of our own. Any good
deed we carry out is possible only by the motivation and indwelling of the Holy Spirit,
whose fruit we carry out (when our flesh is not getting in the way). This is the truth
according to Scripture; we are not the source of goodness–the Lord alone is this
source. We need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of our sins that
was bought on the cross, because no goodness dwells in our flesh, and we sin
constantly. But praise be to God, who saw fit to save us by His Son, and use these
broken vessels for His good work!
In closing, I was moved to write a prayer, which I hope will bless you.
Lord, I confess that I am not able to carry out any good on my own. I confess that
I often feel pride and puffed up at the good deeds I do, and in doing so I corrupt them
with my flesh and its desires to be recognised. I do this more often than I do good
purely to please you.
Lord, thank you that Your Spirit is dwelling in me. Thank You that, by Your Son
and Spirit, I can stand before You redeemed, and rest in Your promises. I pray that You
continue to purify me into a vessel that carries out Your good fruit with a pure heart and
motives that are pleasing to you.
Continue your work in me, O God, and let your Holy Spirit continue to sanctify me,
that I may be a more effective vessel for Your goodness and good works here on earth.