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The Gentleness Challenge

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."  Galatians 5:22

Most mothers want their mothering (and lives) to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit.  These fruit are characteristics that are rooted and growing in the heart and overflow into the speech, attitudes and actions.  These fruits are easy to identify and also easy to see where they may lack. 

The Gentleness Challenge is a focus on the fruit of gentleness in our lives.  This is an area I need some practice in!  Gentleness wasn't something I grew up with and a trait that with three sons, was not cultivated and grown.  But it is something I can identify in others and greatly admire.

Any area of life we want to improve must be dealt with by commitment and practicing and implementing the thing we want.  God's Word is a great place to start to put into our heart what we want to come out.

  • You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great.  II Samuel 22:36
  •  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,  endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephessians 4:1-3 
  • Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!   Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.  Phillipians 4:4-5 
  • But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. I Timothy 6:11
This week's plan of action is to smile more, hug more, slow down, listen, take a deep breath.  Gentlenss must be practiced and gains effectiveness during trying and difficult times. To practice and concentrate on being genuinely gentle!  Reading and meditating on God's Word and praying for the Holy Spirit to bring forth gentleness. 



Comments

  1. Good post! Timothy 6:11 especially speaks to me and you are right it is definitely PRACTICE (that is really hard!) to bring this fruit out!

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