Responding in Gentleness

So I am not sure where this quote came from, but I found it in a document on my computer and I found it very encouraging and apropos to my life right now. I hope and pray that I can be the kind of person described here and by God's grace I know that I can! =]

"Gentleness Means Trusting the Lord – Just as we trust the Lord for every fruit of the Spirit, so we trust Him for this one, too. In Matthew 5:5, Jesus says, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” William Hendriksen had this to say about Jesus’ words:

“’The meek’” [or gentle] describes the person who is not resentful. He bears no grudge. Far from mulling over injuries received, he finds refuge in the Lord and commits his way entirely to Him….He has learned to take joyfully ‘the plundering of his possessions, know that he has a better possession and an abiding one’ (Hebrews 10:34). Yet meekness is not weakness….It is submissiveness under provocation, the willingness rather to suffer than to inflict injury. The meek [or gentle] person leaves everything in the hand of Him who loves and cares.”

It helps to note first what gentleness isn’t: It is not resentful, it bears no grudges, and it is not involved in mulling over injuries. And what does gentleness do instead? It finds refuge in the Lord and His ways. It endures plundering, provocation, and suffering in humble submission to an all-wise, caring Father, trusting totally in the love of God.

But, we instantly wonder, how can anyone bear plundering, provocation, suffering, and ill-treatment? For me, the answer boils down to one word—faith. The invisible root system of gentleness goes deep into the rich sol of faith. Faith believes that everything that happens in our life is allowed by God and that He is able to help us handler our situation. Our faith in the God behind this truth keeps us from struggling and fighting because faith believes that God will fight for us (Psalm 60:12).

[…] But how about you, precious traveler along life’s way? Does your life show the fruit of gentleness? Where are you failing to submit to God and His management of your life? Do you consider God’s meekness to be weakness? Do you generally bear grudges toward others, contemplate revenge, think vengeful thoughts? Or are you one who can look beyond the injury inflicted by another to the God of wisdom who uses pain in your life so that you might bear the mark of His Spirit in a might way?

[…]

Gentleness Means Submitting to the Master – Commentator William Barclay offers another picture of gentleness when he explains, “What throws most light on [the meaning of gentleness] is that the adjective…is used of an animal that has been tamed and brought under control.” This definition, along with the fact that gentleness is highly revered by God in His women (1 Peter 3:4), caused me to search a little further—which revealed some startling concepts.

•The word tame, which is the opposite of wild, describes one accustomed to control by another.
•The word tame suggests one whose will has been broken or who has allowed himself or herself to be dominated by the will of another.
•The tame person, therefore…
oHas been toned down and exhibits complete dependence on another.
oHas yielded all will to another’s control.
oUnquestioningly and humbly obeys what is ordered and accepts what is given.
oIs docile and obedient and pliable, as opposed to fierce.
oIs easy to work with and to be with.

[…] It helps us to think about gentleness in terms of submitting to our Master, the Lord Jesus. Don’t you desire to be controlled by Him? Don’t you truly yearn for Him to take complete charge of your life, to lead and guide you, to protect and care for you as you follow Him unquestioningly in faith? Don’t you want to be easy to work with and be with? As one believer observed, “What makes humility [or gentleness] so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us: It creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God.” To belong totally to the Master, to want only His will, to depend completely on Him, and to yield humbly to Him and His ways brings great intimacy with God.

So breathe a huge sigh of release and hand over to God any part of your life that you have not yet given to Him. Thank Him—as your Master and as the Master Gardener—that He is able to care for it. Allow yourself the joy of being mastered by the Master.”