by Chelrisa Swanston, guest writer
Meekness is the beatitude without the 'me' attitude. Matt 5:5 KJV: Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary online, to be meek means to endure injury (or being imposed on) with patience and without resentment.
Meekness is not weakness. It takes strength to endure injury, it takes strength to have a disposition of mildness in the face of adversity and it takes strength to endure offenses without disputing or resisting. It’s a great heart condition. In meekness, we gain capacity to care and forgive. And most of all, we expect the divine hand of God to intervene in situations that brings calm, peace, and a resolve that would otherwise not be possible.
From the Christian perspective complete reliance upon the Lord and not on our own strength in the face of adversity is what makes us meek. Here are a few Biblical commands that if applied will help us develop an attitude of meekness:
1. Reliance
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus". Philippians 4:6-7
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday".
Psalm 37:5-6
2. Faith
"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Matthew 21:22
3. Trust
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5 - 6
If we read and apply the Word of God, our meekness (or gentleness) of Spirit will grow. We will also find that our stress levels will begin to drop.
If we are obedient to the Word of God, we can turn all of our cares over to the Lord. We can then rest in the comfort of knowing that our obedience to his commands will be blessed. We become strong in our meekness as we witness God’s word working in our lives.
Chelrisa Swanston is a guest writer for Believers Today. Born on the Caribbean island of Antigua, she was born into an environment of ministry because her parents served as full time missionaries. Through the study of God’s Word she came to an accurate understanding about who He (God) is and who He has called her to be.
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