I Peter 3: 1-6
To have a quiet spirit is a thing for which I long. What does it mean? To be peaceful? To be at ease in all situations? To know something is going on and be quiet about it? The Bible calls for a woman to adorn herself with the “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.”, yet I don’t understand what it is.
The verse says that this very quality is precious, or of great worth to God…okay, this is great- I sit here desiring this thing which is precious to God and I don’t know what it is or how to get it.
I being a loud person am often… okay never, described as a quiet person. So the idea of being quiet is bothersome. Also, when combined with the idea that one needs to be gentle, and I being a bull in the proverbial china shop, I am bothered with this too. So, if the God, who made me to be loud, and a tad bit bullish, treasures a person who is the opposite, then how can we say that God doesn’t make mistakes?
I feel as if God was asking me to be everything but what he made me to be and I didn’t think this was right. God doesn’t do that! After much contemplation, prayer and even a little begging- I can only guess that this thing called a gentle and quiet spirit is a longing to be quiet before the Father God above all and allow Him to change us.
A gentle and quiet person is not necessarily described as these things outwardly. But they are characteristics of her heart; a woman who is constantly seeking quiet at the root of herself to be with the God who made her; a woman who is gentle with those around her- obviously this is a character trait that needs work in my life. I believe one can be who God made her to be and still be chasing with all of their heart the person God desires her to be.
To have a quiet spirit is a thing for which I long. What does it mean? To be peaceful? To be at ease in all situations? To know something is going on and be quiet about it? The Bible calls for a woman to adorn herself with the “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.”, yet I don’t understand what it is.
The verse says that this very quality is precious, or of great worth to God…okay, this is great- I sit here desiring this thing which is precious to God and I don’t know what it is or how to get it.
I being a loud person am often… okay never, described as a quiet person. So the idea of being quiet is bothersome. Also, when combined with the idea that one needs to be gentle, and I being a bull in the proverbial china shop, I am bothered with this too. So, if the God, who made me to be loud, and a tad bit bullish, treasures a person who is the opposite, then how can we say that God doesn’t make mistakes?
I feel as if God was asking me to be everything but what he made me to be and I didn’t think this was right. God doesn’t do that! After much contemplation, prayer and even a little begging- I can only guess that this thing called a gentle and quiet spirit is a longing to be quiet before the Father God above all and allow Him to change us.
A gentle and quiet person is not necessarily described as these things outwardly. But they are characteristics of her heart; a woman who is constantly seeking quiet at the root of herself to be with the God who made her; a woman who is gentle with those around her- obviously this is a character trait that needs work in my life. I believe one can be who God made her to be and still be chasing with all of their heart the person God desires her to be.
M. Ruth Smith
2003
