Are you still feeling ADEQUATE? Are you still wanting to be the BOSS of your life? Are you still thinking it IS possible to be partially connected to God? If the answer to any of those questions is YES or MAYBE, please join ME and you’ll be in the right spot. Here’s why…
We’re only one third the way into this month’s hyper-focus on the spiritual imperative of recognizing our INADEQUACY without God and we haven’t even scratched the surface.
And that’s the point, isn’t it? This is a life-long challenge that Satan wants us to abandon by saying: “I’ve got this on my own.”
DON’T FALL FOR IT.
Let me GENTLY ask you to challenge yourself right now by going to God with your heart and soul.
I’m taking this approach today because new ideas and challenges and barriers and truths surface all day, every day as I focus on this subject of our inadequacy without God.
For example…today I woke up with the need to be GENTLE. Think about how tough it is to recognize your inadequacy without God if you are NOT gentle.
I start breaking down gentleness by visualizing Jesus on a donkey riding into Jerusalem “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29).
Gentleness is not being nice. That is a COUNTERFEIT version of Godly gentleness.
Gentleness is bringing our anger and emotion under the control of Christ.
Gentleness is Jesus.
Gentleness comes alive when humility flows through our soul as we fear the Lord. On the other hand, think of people who are proud and loud and self-focused. What comes to mind? Those are the people who are full of rage and easily angered or “triggered” to explode when things don’t go their way.
Gentleness is a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that produces Godly wisdom from above.
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17
Gentleness does not come from “trying hard” under our own power. Gentleness is cultivated through our connection with and worship of Jesus.
I ask God to teach me that gentleness is not weakness. To show me that it is an attitude of the heart and mind that bears witness to genuine faith. To help me live out Christ-like gentleness. To increase my capacity for love as a Christ-like example to others.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Do you come across to others as self-focused and insensitive? Or is God’s GENTLENESS shining through like the brightest star for others to see?
“Let your gentleness be known to all men.” Philippians 4:5
