Daily Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 2:24 KJV
2 Timothy 2:13 KJV
(13) If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Today’s Devotional Is THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT-GENTLENESS
It is not easy to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, as there are many counterfeits. Some people are naturally easy-going and lack of ambition. Others are cowardly or spirit mean. Many people are marked by moral weakness and decrepitude, which makes it easier to surrender than compete in the intellectual or physical arenas.
Gentleness must also include the awareness of a substantial reserve of force. God’s gentleness is combined with His omnipotence. The infinite forces at work are evident in the movements of creation. A boy trying to lift or transport a heavy beam will most likely crash into the ground when he finishes his task. He is almost exhausted and wants to be free of the burden. If a strong man carries the same burden and for the same distance, he will put it down gently because he hasn’t exhausted his strength and still has plenty of strength.
Gentleness is a prerogative of great strength. Remember that you are connected with the Infinite Creator and that all things can be achieved. You must also have infinite compassion. To be kind and compassionate to others who abuse us or are afflicted by disappointment or ill-used, we must also be understanding. We must make allowances for them and be kind and understanding towards their rudeness, brusqueness and poor manners. Congenital moroseness is a contributing factor to a lot of our problems. We must be gentle with the erring and those who are not so fortunate, as we are also surrounded by infirmity.
A deep humility is also necessary. Thomas a Kempis said, “If thou wilt bear with, bear also mit another.” Be patient with others’ infirmities and defects. Resentment towards others should always be temper by our awareness of our own mistakes. So will we be God’s gentlefolk.
PRAYER for Today
O God, our behavior has not been filled with the grace and gentleness of Christ, nor have the fruits of His Spirit. We beg your forgiveness and allow us to live so that His beauty, His tone in speech, His gentleness in our step, His unselfishness in our hands, and His beauty may shine on our faces. AMEN.