And the fruit of the Spirit is… gentleness…
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) Come to Me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you 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. For
My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Gentleness goes hand-in-hand with humility. Some see
gentleness as a weakness, but in fact it is a quiet strength and takes immense
control. One who is gentle is humble and tender-hearted even in trial. This was
Jesus, who prayed forgiveness for His executioners. This was Stephen who prayed
mercy for those who were throwing stones at him.
Jesus said that His yoke was easy and His burden light
because He was gentle and humble in heart. One does not look at Jesus’
responsibilities and think “easy” and “light.” His yoke was not easy in the
sense of painlessness or light in the sense of triviality. What Jesus had to do
could be called easy and light because it was total surrender to the Father’s
will. The formula was easy: obey the Father; the weight was light: He was in
the middle of the Father’s will, which was exactly where He was the safest and
most honoured.
If we are gentle and humble in heart we will submit
ourselves to the Father’s will for our lives and in this we will find rest,
even if it brings pain. The road of persecution and struggle looks treacherous
to those who have never walked it, but to those who travel it, it becomes a joy
and an honour. There is rest in Jesus, no matter our circumstances. If we are
in the centre of the Father’s will for us, we will find rest there. When we
live humbly and gently, showing gentleness to others, we will be able to guide
people into the rest that is found only in our Lord.
PRAYER AND
MEDITATION
1. Ask
Jesus to teach you something from His character of humility and gentleness.
2. In
what way do you need to experience the rest that is found in Jesus today? First
ask yourself: Am I in the centre of God’s
will today? Are you living obediently surrendered to Him? If there is
anything you need to make right with Him take time to do that. Then tell Him
what troubles you and ask Him to give you the rest that He speaks of in Matthew
11.
3. Ask God to prepare you for trials that may come
your way one day.
