Recognized by Our Fruit

03/09/24 – 03/22/24

Meekness and Courage

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/19/24

We often believe that perception is reality, but many times it is not.

The enemy is swift to tempt us to believe something about another person that may not be true. Remember, God created us for fellowship—first with Himself and then with others.

Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, the enemy knows that he can no longer capture our souls. We are saved by the grace of God.

However, he never backs away from a challenge and sets new goals to disrupt and, if possible, to destroy our fellowship with God and with those we love.

When conflict arises, it is extremely important for us to listen only to the voice of God. While there is benefit to the counsel of godly friends, there is also the danger of missing what God wants us to see and learn on our own.

Therefore, before you react to a situation, ask the Lord to make His Truth apparent to your heart. Wrong perceptions have been the cause of many misunderstandings. Set a goal to set aside pride to understand the true motives of the other person. Then, be meek and forgiving as necessary through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Oftentimes, we view meekness as a weakness. In actuality, a meek person is not weak or timid. In fact, Biblical meekness or gentleness is courage, confidence, and strength under control.

God wants us to enjoy meekness as a fruit of the Spirit. When we learn how to rest in Him and allow Him to work through us, His meekness will rise to the surface of our lives—helping us to walk in fellowship with others as He intends.

Prayer: Lord, help me to reflect on hurtful situations before I react to them. Show me my wrongs so that I may ask for forgiveness. Grant me insight into the hearts of those with whom I have a dispute so that I might have compassion. May I extend forgiveness just as I have been forgiven. Thank You for the fruit of Your meekness and courage. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).