the spirit of meekness.

I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness this past week.

It's interesting we touched on it in bible study on Wednesday, as it's a topic that's been on my heart quite a lot lately.

Not holding grudges, but building a bridge and getting right over it.

Relationships are a tough one, whether personal or work related... there is always someone hurting us or we're the one causing offence and needing to be forgiven.

I struggle with this often.


God has really been showing me that I need to be gentle and meek, not so abrasive and opinionated.

:-(

It is really hard.

I am not, by nature a gentle person.

I am actually quite brash and it bothers me a lot because I don't want to be an obnoxious person. Nothing irks me more than obnoxious people and you know when you say something you shouldn't have and then think, I've just offended someone, again. Crap.


It's the worst.

Sometimes I cry about it.

Truthfully, there are just some sins we can't seem to get on top of and for me... it's taming that wild beast.





hehe.


Was reading James this morning, trying to get my head around it.

'The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity... that no one can tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith we bless God , even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, James writes... these things ought not so to be.' - 3:8-10

ugh.

and when I measure myself up against the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, still stuffed.

'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.' - Galatians 5:22-26


Ok Liz... checklist time.

LOVE - when I feel like it
PEACE - maybe
LONGSUFFERING - hardly
GENTLENESS - *coughs*
GOODNESS - who is good but God?
FAITH - how often do I pray?
MEEKNESS - do I control my strength?
TEMPERANCE - definitely not.

Ok, so there's clearly some work needing to be done.

THANKFULLY I don't have the resources to carry out the work.


But He does.

:-)

Philippians 1:6 says, 'Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ'.


amen.

We are weak.


But HE is always strong.

so comforting.