We’ve all heard it said and probably said it ourselves, “if it’s not on the schedule, it’s not happening.” I get it, there’s only so much time in a day.
We claim living filled with the Holy Spirit and growing spiritually to become more like Jesus is the most important thing in our life. Why isn’t it on our schedule? We plan everything else, even little things like meeting for coffee and going shopping. It seems we plan and schedule everything but becoming like Jesus. That’s a scary thought since we just admitted saying, “if it’s not on the schedule, it’s not happening.”
Time to put our Paradigm Shift into action and start planning for Spirit filled living.
The Fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS & SELF CONTROL
The Spiritual Seed Planner is the tool for Fruit Filled living!
To help, here’s some of our best ideas and planning strategies for a Spirit Filled Week. Try some or use them all, it’s up to you. Remember, every plan is as unique as the individual. Be creative!
Schedule & maintain a weekly planning session (same day/time each week)
- Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart & direct your actions for growth
- Review the definition & scripture of your Fruit of the Month
- Review PLANT + CULTIVATE + GROW list
- Walk through your garden plots, looking for new Fruit opportunities
- Plan action items from PLANT + CULTIVATE + GROW list
- Simple actions – plan specific time and day
- Repeatable actions – place at bottom of page and tally
- Add weekly projects or goal under “Life To Do”
- Schedule morning and evening time w/Holy Spirit
- Amount of time isn’t important, doing it is.
- Use bottom of page for prayers, scriptures or encouraging notes
- Add work/personal activities, appointments, events
- Consider every appointment an opportunity for spiritual growth
We know that prioritizing and planning to grow spiritually does not eliminate demanding schedules, “to do” lists, obligations or responsibilities. However, it does change their role in our lives. They become opportunities and tools to be used by the Holy Spirit for our spiritual growth!
Spend Time in your planner – It’s your place to grow
- Morning – Start day w/Holy Spirit – pray, ask for direction
- Evening – End the day w/Holy Spirit – giving thanks
- Add encouraging messages, prayers and notes to keep you on track
- Keep planner in view – meetings, desk, kitchen counter
- Think of it as your really smart phone w/all your important stuff
- Use stickers as symbols, get creative
- (gloves/hard work, bees/social event, wheelbarrow/helping)
Additional Planning Tips
- Maintain ongoing dialogue with the Holy Spirit (personal advisor)
- Repeat actions to create new habits
- Schedule reminders – in phone or outlook to remind you to look at planner
- Create or join a small planning group
- Use color pens – assign a color to each garden plot
- Write a recap at the end of the week – add to Notes
Anticipate Opposition – time, demands, self
IMPORTANT REMINDER – It’s the Holy Spirit in us, that grows the Fruit.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Mathew 7:20 (NIV)
