Gentle & Kind
Rest for All
As we continue to pursue a Life of Holiness, we are looking at the fruits of the Spirit and how each one should be present in our life. Made possible by the Holy Spirit present in our life only, the fruits are behaviors and characteristics that mimic or reflect Christ. We find ourselves fighting the temptation of our own flesh to not produce fruits of our own desires. You can read about flesh vs spirit in Galatians 5.
How fitting as we discuss the fruits, gentleness and kindness, that it pairs so well with Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Striving to live a life of holiness, to reflect Christ, the walk of sanctification can be wearisome. Maybe it is the fact that we won't fully escape temptation of the flesh until eternity. Or possibly we struggle because our focus is on something other than Jesus. We could even be so prideful to admit we are wrong about something and unwilling to change that it is exhausting us!
Thanks be to Christ for the free and gracious invitation to find rest in Him! You might be tired of "spinning your tires" going no where. You can't seem to "find the light at the end of the tunnel". We keep going back to sin or falling for temptation of the flesh to what we want. The truth is there is "no light at the end of the tunnel". The light is only from Jesus.
What does it truly mean to run to Jesus for this rest He offers? Let's first be willing and lay down our pride to admit we might be selfish to our own desires. Let's admit that what we are doing is not working for anything. Situation varies from life to life, but Jesus is the Word & the Word directs us in all things. Grace is available for us, but our responsibility is to search for it and apply it to our life. Too often we want grace, but not the responsibility & accountability to put in effort. Effort to pray & meditate on God's word. Effort to run away in the face of temptation like Joseph from Potiphar's wife. Control your emotions and not let them control you - as Cain failed to do so which led to murder of his own brother.
Jesus wants to relieve you. From self, strain, stress, suffering, sin - ALL OF IT! And the rest is for ALL OF US. Only in Jesus.
How fitting as we discuss the fruits, gentleness and kindness, that it pairs so well with Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Striving to live a life of holiness, to reflect Christ, the walk of sanctification can be wearisome. Maybe it is the fact that we won't fully escape temptation of the flesh until eternity. Or possibly we struggle because our focus is on something other than Jesus. We could even be so prideful to admit we are wrong about something and unwilling to change that it is exhausting us!
Thanks be to Christ for the free and gracious invitation to find rest in Him! You might be tired of "spinning your tires" going no where. You can't seem to "find the light at the end of the tunnel". We keep going back to sin or falling for temptation of the flesh to what we want. The truth is there is "no light at the end of the tunnel". The light is only from Jesus.
What does it truly mean to run to Jesus for this rest He offers? Let's first be willing and lay down our pride to admit we might be selfish to our own desires. Let's admit that what we are doing is not working for anything. Situation varies from life to life, but Jesus is the Word & the Word directs us in all things. Grace is available for us, but our responsibility is to search for it and apply it to our life. Too often we want grace, but not the responsibility & accountability to put in effort. Effort to pray & meditate on God's word. Effort to run away in the face of temptation like Joseph from Potiphar's wife. Control your emotions and not let them control you - as Cain failed to do so which led to murder of his own brother.
Jesus wants to relieve you. From self, strain, stress, suffering, sin - ALL OF IT! And the rest is for ALL OF US. Only in Jesus.
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