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The Incorruptible Beauty of a Gentle and Quiet Spirit

I've kept my feet on the ground, I’VE CULTIVATED A QUIET HEART. Like a baby content in its mother's arms, my soul is a baby content. Psalm 131:2 (MSG)

I spoke to our staff this morning and I encouraged them toward tenderness. There is an old adage that says, “tough times don’t last, but tough people do.” While I understand the sentiment, I also know that trying to “toughen up” or “tough it out” will not always help you to endure difficult times. Most always, the answer is to become more tender. Billy Graham’s crusades saw millions walk to the front of the stage in arenas and stadiums around the world as George Beverly Shea sang “softly and tenderly Jesus is calling” and that’s often how the Holy Spirit speaks to us – in a whisper.

In the Bible, David was a man of war. He won 66 different battles, but he was known for his tender heart. He was tender toward Jonathan, King Saul’s son, with whom the Bible describes he had a kindred spirit. David was tender toward Mephibosheth (a disabled surviving relative of Saul) who David invited to eat at the King’s table. He brought Mephibosheth into his own household and cared for him; such was his compassionate heart. Even though he was treated so badly by the highly threatened King, David was tender toward Saul. Given a chance to embarrass King Saul by cutting a piece out of the back of his tunic, we are told “his heart smote him” – in other words, David was tender hearted and that’s what preserved his kingdom and welcomed God’s favour into his life. 

Let’s be tender with one another, more highly attuned to other people’s needs and sensitive to others’ concerns. 

Let’s be tender hearted when it comes to our worship and praise, our quiet time with the Lord and our prayer time. 

A tender and sensitive spirit connects with God’s Spirit, enabling you to hear His voice more clearly. As you calm your soul and “still your heart, you will know (afresh) that He is God” (Psalm 46:10).

I’ll finish with one final verse found in 1 Peter 3:4 (NKJV):

...rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with THE INCORRUPTIBLE BEAUTY OF A GENTLE AND QUIET SPIRIT, which is very precious in the sight of God. 

Stay in faith, the BEST is yet to come.