Tag Archives: Comfort

Christianity, Fruit of Spirit, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Salvation, Sin, Wisdom

Walking in Gentleness

person walking in wheat field.

Previously, I have been discussing the nine fruits of the Spirit. Recently I discussed both joy and kindness. Today I would like to take a closer look at the Fruit of Gentleness. Gentleness is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”. I found a great list of synonyms for the word gentleness in The Collins Dictionary, which are tenderness, compassion, kindness, consideration, sympathy, and softness. The word gentleness can also be translated into the term meekness. Meekness is defined as, a kind, gentle, and humble spirit.

 

So how do we apply gentleness in our lives so that we may walk in the Spirit? First off we must apply all nine fruits of the Spirit together, we cannot pick certain ones we like. A good example of gentleness is when we are courteous to others. This could apply to both people we know and people we simply pass by during our busy day. You might have a co-worker or family member who did you wrong, whether they apologize or not you should first forgive them, and also you must not seek revenge. Seeking revenge would conflict with gentleness and the other eight fruits of the Spirit. Titus 3:2 says, “To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”.

 

Another aspect of gentleness comes when we witness to non-believers. At some point in your walk with Christ, you will come across a family member, friend, or co-worker who is a non-believer and you might have the perfect opportunity to share the Gospel with them. The outcome can be unpredictable, they might accept it, totally reject it, or the might be on the fence. Mark 16:15 says, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”. When sharing the Gospel with anyone we must be gentle about it and respectful, this is written in 1 Peter 3:15 which says,  “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”. We will have witnessed to people who totally reject the message of the Gospel, we must remember 1 Peter 3:15 to be both gentle and respectful. Just remember when you cannot get the message of salvation through to a particular person, pray that they will come to salvation. Romans 10:1 says, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”.

 

At the beginning of this article, I listed some of the synonyms for the word gentleness, one of them was softness. Proverbs 15:1 tells us, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”. I think this is a verse that every one of us needs to hear, and seek God to help us with daily. With our busy and hectic lives we can become quick to anger, I myself can be guilty of this. Whether you feel under the weather or received an unexpected bill in the mail, or your car won’t start, turn to the Lord first before turning to anger. If you forget and turn to anger, seek God to help you with being gentle. Romans 8:26 tells us, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”.

 

I challenge you to find parts in each day of your life to find an area where you can apply gentleness. If this is something you are struggling with seek the Lord. We must apply gentleness in our character along with the other eight fruits of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are a package deal, you can’t have one of them without the others. Galatians 5:16-17 which says, “ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”.

 

  1. Ray, Rayburn W. “Barbour’s Bible Dictionary & Concordance.” Barbour’s Bible Dictionary & Concordance, by George W. Knight, Barbour Books, 1998, pp. 206–206.
Christianity, Inspiration, Testimony

Why Fear?

fall path with light

It is human nature to experience fear at many points in your life. The experience of fear can be very short, or it can be very long. The word fear is defined as to be afraid of someone or something as to be dangerous, painful or threatening.  According to a survey done by Chapman University, some of the top fears in 2018 include corrupt government officials, not having enough money for the future, loved ones becoming seriously ill, loved ones dying, high medical bills, and many more. These are all common things to fear, and I am sure you can brainstorm a long list of many more.

But too often we let our fear get the best of us, and we often forget God’s Word in times of fear. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”.  We must remember that God has a plan for us. You might be worrying about your future with your job, house, insurance, or retirement, but God has a plan at work for you for your future. We must trust in him and seek him. Jesus tells us in Matthews 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”.

As I said previously we must trust in the Lord. We know he has plans for us not against us. It might seem impossible right now, but God knows the result and will have the final say in the situation. We must trust and seek the Lord in all we do in our daily lives. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”.  Additionally, Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”. The word sought also means to seek like I said before we must seek the Lord along with trusting in Him.

Some people might have issues with anxiety and may have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. When I was in fourth grade I had terrible anxiety issues, I was even put on medication for it. Without the medication, I would not be able to sleep at night. One night I was prayed for at my church, and I went home that evening. My family got home later than usual, and I forgot to take my medication before bed. I slept great that night and didn’t take the medication the next several nights and had no issues. By the body and blood of Christ, I was delivered of that anxiety issue. Now there are times I might still get nervous about something here and there. That is normal for really anyone. So, whether you are dealing with a chronic anxiety disorder or just regular anxiety remember what God’s word tells us. Also remember Psalm 94:19, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”.

By seeking the Lord daily and trusting in him, you can overcome your fears.  Don’t sit back and let your fear consume your mind, you must conquer your fear with God’s Word, otherwise, your fear will conquer you.