Meditation for Perfectionists – Thursday November 15, 2018
Hurricane or Gentle Breeze?
Galatians 5:23: “The fruit of the Spirit is …gentleness.”
It was the first week of the new year. The speaker closed her remarks with the following question: “What special characteristic would you like for God to develop in you this year?”
As I drove home I contemplated my response. “I want to be less obsessive; less intense. I want to balance giving with taking and then be comfortable with it. I want to learn to accept the person God made me to be. I want to be less judgmental of myself and others.” Then a light bulb flashed in my mind. “GENTLENESS!” I concluded. “I want to be more gentle.”
At home, I looked up the word, “gentleness” and read this definition: “kind, and moderate, a mild breeze, one with the velocity of no more than 12 miles per hour.” I smiled as I imagined going through each day at a moderate pace. Those of us who run through life at top speed are like a high velocity wind. Sometimes a hurricane; sometimes a whirlwind. Practicing gentleness with ourselves and others is learning to live like a refreshing gentle breeze.
Lord, manifest the fruit of gentleness in me.
Will it hurt?
I’m scared and tired of hurting.
Help me.
Copyright Joan C. Webb
For more from Joan Webb visit www.joancwebb.com
