Nov. 17, 2007
How I long for..
.......A meek and quiet spirit.
I really have been struggling lately with having patience for my children, not to mention my husband. I want to be that wife that my husband cannot wait to come home to. And the mother that my children adore. I want to be soft spoken, yet still heard. I want to be nonargumentative and submissive to my husband. I do not want to be a "yelling-mama!" How horribly sinful I feel after I yell at my children. It is my hearts deepest desire that my children look back at their life and see Christ in me. I fall, oh so short, much of the time. I know much of my problem lies with my not making enough time for prayer and studying the word.
Well, Yesterday as I was forced to finish my work on my desktop (my laptop screen CRACKED, and the warranty would not cover that- so back to the desktop for now). Well as I do often, I got distracted and started looking at all my old links in the "favorites" section of my Internet Explorer browser. And what do I happen upon? An awesome article that convicts my spirit and gives my attitude an abrupt adjustment.
Please pray that this renewed spirit would last and that I would stay commited to strive towards that Meek and Quiet spirit that I long so much for.
{A portition of the article is pasted below with a link}
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Our Desire for a Meek and Quiet Spirit
Recently, I received this note and question from a homeschooling mom. I asked her if it would be okay for me to answer it with this month's Mom's Corner, and she agreed.
"I started to read the book Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri, and I was wondering this. How do I have a quiet spirit when it seems that my blood is boiling from every little thing? I cry out to God. But I still feel that anxiety. I am really confused about this. Should I just force myself to be soft spoken and cry on the inside? How do I keep from exploding? I just feel like the warden. I was wondering if anyone else might suffer from this. It seems God just did not bless me with these qualities. I have always been loud and outspoken." A homeschooling mom
I expect almost every one of us can relate to what this mom is saying, and perhaps each of us has also experienced her feelings. I remember hearing the Christian writer and speaker Elisabeth Elliot say something to the effect that she regularly asked the women in her audience if anyone was born with a meek and quiet spirit. She never had a hand go up. That tells me that God has not created women to be naturally meek and quiet. However, He does tell us in His Word that wives are to have a "meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter 3:4).
Even though many of us, if not all, struggle because we aren't gifted with meek and quiet spirits, this doesn't mean this lack is something we accept and feel doomed to live with throughout our lives. God knew exactly what He was doing when He made each one of us, and yet He also gave us direction in His Word about how to deal with this. I would encourage this mom in several things, while reminding myself of them as well.
Make the desire for a meek and quiet spirit the focus of your time with the Lord each day and of your prayer for yourself. Search the Word, as you read it each day, for verses that help you toward a meek and quiet spirit. Look for ones that give you direction on what you should be doing and what you should not be doing. Here is an example.
"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). If I were to read this verse in my daily time with the Lord while my life was desperately lacking in being meek and quiet, I would copy this verse out and memorize it. It gives me information on how to have a meek and quiet spirit. I am always to rejoice in the Lord. It is extremely difficult to be angry with the children while rejoicing in the Lord. When I found myself in a stressful situation, I would repeat this verse to myself.... Continued
Apr. 28, 2007
Words meant to tarnish
Have you ever had someone in your life that was so kind to your face- but when your not around, their words in reference to you become evil and malicious?? They completely try to rip apart your character?
Time and Time again someone in my life has done this to me. I have confronted this person once before- but it doesn't seem as if it matters to this person.
In one breath I'm just too submissive to my husband-
and when someone atempts to point out that I'm not because of "....",
"Thats against the Bible!! Your suppose to submit no matter what", Is this person's response. (that last statement I'm sure was completely said in a mocking sort of tone- as I don't think thats what this person really truely believes- I do (but I obviously fall short sometimes)).
I guess I just can't win!! As a christian, my character is so important to me. It is the foundation for my testimony. Why on earth would anyone listen to what I have to say if my character is nothing good to speak of. I suppose thats why this hurts so badly. I shutter to think one persons words could tarnish my character.
There where many other things that where said. But I will just leave it at that.
I pray that the words of this person would fall on deaf ears, and that my actions would be worthy of speaking much louder.
~Chrystal
