31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 28

To cultivate the fruit of gentleness, one must surrender personal rights.    The meek wholeheartedly offer themselves to an awesome God in reverence.  I love how Pastor Chuck Smith explains it:

“The word meek can probably best be defined

by putting a hyphen in the middle of it: me-ek.

It is again looking at myself in the light of the Lord

and realizing that I am nothing.”

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“Happy are those who claim nothing,

for the whole earth will belong to them!”

Matthew 5:5, PHI

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Q4U:   How do you define meekness?

Come back tomorrow for Day 28 of “31 Days to Fruitful Living.” We will chat about how to cultivate gentleness. I may have a black thumb, but I am determined to learn how to cultivate my spiritual life.

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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I am joining The Nester and like-minded sisters for this crazy challenge:

Photo Credit:  Alicia Jo McMahan

31 Days to Fruitful Living — Day 27

Sow gentleness.

Meekness is strength under the control of the Holy Spirit.  A gentle person exercises personal power without abuse.  This fruit is infused with grace.  One who is gentle has received grace and understands the importance of humbly extending it to others.  Meekness requires a submissive spirit that trusts that God is good.

When I was a young believer in my teens, I remember thinking that meekness was not going to be possible for me.  By nature, I was highly boisterous, strongly opinionated, and easily annoyed.  Meekness must be for pastor’s wives and missionaries, I thought.  Surely, God did not expect me to be a doormat.  I was a lion, not a lamb.

Now, 30 years later, I look back and smile.   I realize that God is a God of order.  He is in charge, and I am not.  Throughout my life, God has patiently allowed me to experience turmoil, disappointment, and pain.  At each turning point, I had to make a decision — would  I trust that God is sovereign and good?  If so, then I must submit.  I must obey.  I must walk forward trusting in His grace.

Today, I may occasionally roar, but more often I just choose to follow and let God do the roaring.

If you allow God to tame you, you will be a docile lion for God.

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“A servant of the Lord must not quarrel

but must be kind to everyone,

be able to teach,

and be patient with difficult people.

Gently instruct those who oppose the truth.

Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts,

and they will learn the truth.”

II Timothy 2:25-26, NLT

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Q4U:  Do you roar or do you follow?  How has God developed meekness in you?

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Come back tomorrow for Day 28 of “31 Days to Fruitful Living.” We will chat about how to cultivate gentleness.  I may have a black thumb, but I am determined to learn how to cultivate my spiritual life.

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

___

I am joining The Nester and like-minded sisters for this crazy challenge:

Photo Credit:  Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo