Tag: gentleness

Focused Trust

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“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The original Greek word used here for gentleness is of someone who allows God to fight his battles. 

It describes someone who has let go of trying to control the situation.

Jesus showed us what this kind of gentleness looks like: He focused on His relationship with His Father and did what God directed Him to do. 

He did not bend to peer pressure, comparison, or even try to fit in with anyone other than His Father. 

He didn’t try to control the situation or the people. 

He focused on being faithful to the part He was given to do and allowed God to work out the rest. 

He leads gently so that you and I can live gently.

Being gentle is not being weak. 

On the contrary, it is the greatest example of strength.

Gentleness is focused trust.

My friend, may you begin to learn to live in the power of leading a gentle life by being yoked and yielded to the gentle Savior today and every day after.

What does gentleness look like in your life today?

Gentleness

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Thursday

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When I am stressed, gentleness is not my go-to mode of operation. Frustrated, fearful, anxious, and taking control is.

The original Greek word used for gentleness in the verse above describes the heart of someone who will let God fight his battles for Him. It describes a person who has let go of trying to control the situation and allowed God to do what He needs to do through Him.

Jesus showed us what this kind of gentleness looks like. He focused on His relationship with His Father and only did what God directed Him to. He did not bend to peer pressure, comparison, or even try to fit in with anyone other than His Father. He didn’t try to control the situations or people. He focused on being faithful to the part He was given to do and allowed God to work out the rest. 

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He leads gently so that you can live gently.

Gentle is not weak it is focused trust as well as a deep knowing of who you are and whose you are.

My friend, may you begin to learn to live in the power of leading a gentle life by being yoked and yielded to the gentle Savior today.

Gentle

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“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Why do I need the reminder to “let my gentleness be evident”? I don’t know about you but when I stress, I try to control things. I work to make things to the way I think it should be. When I feel that I am in a battle, I push everyone out, put up my walls and am prepared to fight.

When I am stressed, gentle is the last thing that I am to those around me.

The original Greek word used for gentleness in the verse above describes the heart of someone who will let God fight his battles for Him. It describes a person who has let go of trying to control the situation and allowed God to do what He needs to.

This is where having a relationship with Jesus changes things. It’s where trusting Him impacts how you live because He will never ask you to be something that He isn’t already.

Jesus IS near. 

Jesus says that He is so close that it’s like you’re yoked up with Him. Shoulder to shoulder, walking the same way, with Him bearing the load and directing the path.

He IS gentle. 

Jesus showed us what this kind of gentleness looks like. He focused on His relationship with His Father and only did what God directed Him to. He did not bend to peer pressure, comparison or even try to fit in with anyone other than His Father. He didn’t try to control the situations or people. He focused on being faithful to the part He was given to do and allowed God to work out the rest. 

Jesus lived yoked and yielded long before He offered it to His disciples.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He leads gently so that you can live gently.

Gentle is not weak it is focused trust as well as a deep knowing of who you are and whose you are.

My friend, may you begin to learn to live in the power of leading a gentle life by being yoked and yielded to the gentle Savior today.

Gentle Evidence

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4039

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Why do I need the reminder to “let my gentleness be evident”? I don’t know about you but when I stress, I try to control things. I work to make things to the way I think it should be. When I feel that I am in a battle, I push everyone out, put up my walls and am prepared to fight.

When I am stressed, gentle is the last thing that I am to those around me.

The original Greek word used for gentleness in the verse above describes the heart of someone who will let God fight his battles for Him. It describes a person who has let go of trying to control the situation and allowed God to do what He needs to.

This is where having a relationship with Jesus changes things. It’s where trusting Him impacts how you live because He will never ask you to be something that He isn’t already.

Jesus IS near. 

Jesus says that He is so close that it’s like you’re yoked up with Him. Shoulder to shoulder, walking the same way, with Him bearing the load and directing the path.

He IS gentle. 

Jesus showed us what this kind of gentleness looks like. He focused on His relationship with His Father and only did what God directed Him to. He did not bend to peer pressure, comparison or even try to fit in with anyone other than His Father. He didn’t try to control the situations or people. He focused on being faithful to the part He was given to do and allowed God to work out the rest. 

Jesus lived yoked and yielded long before He offered it to His disciples.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He leads gently so that you can live gently.

Gentle is not weak it is focused trust as well as a deep knowing of who you are and whose you are.

What does being led gently feel like to you?

What does not bending to peer pressure, not comparing yourself to others and not even trying to fit in look like to you?

My friend, may you begin to learn to live in the power of leading a gentle life by being yoked and yielded to the gentle Savior today.

 

Made For More

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so-much-more-2

You are created to live every day with:

overwhelming love,

deep joy,

persistent peace,

solid patience,

thoughtful kindness,

soul deep goodness,

stubborn faithfulness,

grace-filled gentleness and

Spirit inspired self-control.

What a beautiful existence, can you imagine?

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God wants you to do more than just imagine it, He wants you to live it.

Jesus paid for it.

The Holy Spirit provides it.

So you can live it.

You were made for more, don’t settle for anything less.

What is holding you back?

The Gentle Life

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“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Why do I need the reminder to “let your gentleness rule”? I don’t know about you but when I stress, I try to control things. I work to make things to the way I think it should be. When I feel that I am in a battle, I push everyone out, put up my walls and am prepared to fight. 

When I am stressed, gentle is the last thing that I am to those around me. 

The original Greek word used for gentleness in the verse above describes the heart of someone who will let God fight his battles for him. It describes a person who has let go of trying to control the situation and allowed God to do what He needs to. 

This is where having a relationship with Jesus changes things. It’s where trusting Him impacts how you live. 

He IS near. 

Jesus says that He is so close that it’s like your yoked up with Him. Shoulder to shoulder, walking the same way, with Him bearing the load and directing the path.

He IS gentle. 

Jesus showed us what this kind of gentleness looks like. He focused on His relationship with His Father and only did what God directed Him to. He did not bend to peer pressure, compare His life to others or even try to fit in with anyone other than His Father. He didn’t try to control the situations or people. He focused on being faithful to the part He was given to do and allowed God to work out the rest. 

Jesus lived yoked and yielded long before He offered it to His disciples.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He leads gently so that you can live gently.

Gentle is not weak, if is focused trust as well as a deep knowing of who you are and whose you are. 

How does being yoked and yielded impact your attitude about things you can’t control? 

What does being lead gently feel like to you? 

What does this kind of living look like: not bending to peer pressure, not comparing yourself to others and not even trying to fit in? 

May you begin to live the power of leading a gentle life by being yoked and yielded to the gentle Savior today.

Unexpected Opportunities 

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Unexpected opportunities to shine your light look different than you think they do. 

They come when you are grumpy and tired. They come when you’ve spent your energy and are done.

If you are like me, you can do pretty well with expected opportunities to shine. You can plan and prepare. Maybe practice a bit in your mind, you know, go through the situation a few times mentally. But the unexpected opportunities are not in your plans. They are inconvenient. They come with people who are demanding and immature. They come from people who have already spent the allotted amount of patience you have for them. 

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I know that the word humble can be a hard one to understand. It has nothing to do with being humiliated. Being humble in the way this verse refers to is a state of resting in a security of self that is forged by your salvation. It is knowing who you are in Christ as well as knowing who Chist is in you: He is Savior, forgiver, redeemer, creator, all powerful God. He is your guide, your strength, your hope and your peace. He is the great I AM and is unlimited in power and reach. He is the light of the world.

Being humble means that you can be happy and content when you are not in control.

Being gentle means that you have unclinched your hands from steering the direction of your life and have let Jesus take the wheel.

Being patient means bearing with those who don’t deserve your patience and loving people who are not easy to love.

I’m not really talking about the big things here but the little ones. The unexpected phone calls. The interruptions that add or postpone your to-do list. The change of plans because some people are unorganized. 

These are the moments when being humble matters the most.

There are the moments when being gentle makes all the difference.

These are the moments when others will recognize that the patience you are extending to them is not natural but must be from God.

These are the moments Jesus shines through you. These are your unexpected opportunities to shine your light. 

Fresh Fruit

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Fresh fruit is valuable. 

Fresh fruit is beautiful.

All fruit is fragile.

Although the it holds within itself seeds to reproduce, the main function of fruit is to nourish others. 

It isn’t achieved by working hard to grow itself but by abiding in the nourishment of the tree.

Old fruit is mushy.

Old fruit is moldy.

Old fruit is unusable.

Fruit is best when it is fresh, it is the same with the fruit of the Spirit:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

If you want fresh joy to infuse your spirit,you don’t get it by trying to be joyful- you get it by abiding in God’s presence. 

You can’t walk in God’s peace until you get God’s perspective. 

When you focus on how God has been faithful to you, a desire to be faithful is birthed in you.

When you receive the gentle love of Jesus, you will have gentle love to nourish others with. 

And the crazy thing about self control is that it is strongest when you are  surrendered. 

How is your spiritual fruit looking?

Are you holding on to moldy love? 

Jaded joy? 

Puny peace? 

Stop holding into it and lay it down at the feet of the cross. 

Then like a tree planted by streams of living water- sink your roots deep, lift your limbs to heaven and drink in the light of God’s loving grace. 

Fresh fruit is best. 

Don’t settle for less- you don’t have to live that way. 

Be Gentle

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Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:4, 5 NIV)

Why do we need the reminder to “let our gentleness rule”?

Because when we stress and worry, try to control and mold things the way we think they should be, gentleness is the last thing that we are.

The word used here for gentleness describes the heart of a person who will let God fight his battles. It describes someone who is free to let go of his anxieties and what causes him stress because they know that God will take up their cause.

It is not gentleness as in “be nice” but as in “let go of your control freak tendencies and trust God.” Rest in the knowledge that God is faithful and is love.

Choose gentleness and trust.

Release your control freak tendencies to God.

The Lord IS near.
He does know.
His has a plan.
You can trust him.

Life is so much better when you trust God and grasp life with gentle hands, one day at a time.