DAY 11 | Seek His Character | Leighton Cobb
One thing I’ve learned in my walk with Jesus is that who I stay close to shapes who I become. Maybe you’ve noticed it too, how we start picking up the attitudes, habits, and even the language of the people we spend the most time with. The same is true in our relationship with God. When we choose to seek Him, His character begins to transform us from the inside out.
But if we’re honest, many of us spend more time trying to act like Jesus than actually being with Jesus. We measure ourselves by how patient, joyful, or gentle we are, yet we’re slow to simply sit with the One who produces that fruit in us. The pressure to perform creeps in, and before we know it, we’re tired, discouraged, or feeling like we don’t measure up.
The good news? God never asked us to produce fruit on our own. He invites us to draw near because His character is the source of everything we long to see in our lives.
Galatians 5:22–23 isn’t just a list of qualities for us to strive for. It’s a picture of God’s own heart. He is love. He is joy. He is peace. Every attribute listed as “fruit of the Spirit” is who God has always been, and when the Spirit lives in us, He begins to cultivate those same qualities, not by our effort, but by His presence.
Jesus said in John 15:5 (NIV), “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Fruit doesn’t grow by trying harder. It grows by staying connected. When we seek God’s character, we begin to reflect who He is in ways we never could on our own.
Slowly and consistently, the Spirit reshapes what doesn’t look like Jesus.
Here’s the promise: When you seek Him, He responds. James 4:8 (ESV) says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” The Spirit is faithful to produce in you that you cannot produce yourself.
Today, pause and ask: Which part of God’s character do I need to lean into? As you seek Him first, trust that He is already at work, shaping you to look more like Jesus one day at a time.
But if we’re honest, many of us spend more time trying to act like Jesus than actually being with Jesus. We measure ourselves by how patient, joyful, or gentle we are, yet we’re slow to simply sit with the One who produces that fruit in us. The pressure to perform creeps in, and before we know it, we’re tired, discouraged, or feeling like we don’t measure up.
The good news? God never asked us to produce fruit on our own. He invites us to draw near because His character is the source of everything we long to see in our lives.
Galatians 5:22–23 isn’t just a list of qualities for us to strive for. It’s a picture of God’s own heart. He is love. He is joy. He is peace. Every attribute listed as “fruit of the Spirit” is who God has always been, and when the Spirit lives in us, He begins to cultivate those same qualities, not by our effort, but by His presence.
Jesus said in John 15:5 (NIV), “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Fruit doesn’t grow by trying harder. It grows by staying connected. When we seek God’s character, we begin to reflect who He is in ways we never could on our own.
Slowly and consistently, the Spirit reshapes what doesn’t look like Jesus.
Here’s the promise: When you seek Him, He responds. James 4:8 (ESV) says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” The Spirit is faithful to produce in you that you cannot produce yourself.
Today, pause and ask: Which part of God’s character do I need to lean into? As you seek Him first, trust that He is already at work, shaping you to look more like Jesus one day at a time.
Posted in 21 Days of Devos