Gentle and Quiet

I'm an extreme Type A personality with a bit of perfectionism thrown in.  Add in that I often don't know how to relax (or at least that's what my husband says) and it's a recipe for burn out, fatigue, guilt, and exhaustion.  If I'm not working on something, I'm feeling guilty.  My mind is always running to figure out what I need to work on next, how to forgo a potential disaster in our future, plan 10 steps ahead, and have a contingency for any possible thing that could be thrown our way. 

This afternoon I was starting to think about all the things I should be working on to ensure we're ready for the week and month ahead (despite just wanting to sit and relax for a bit).  Thankfully it was also the time I usually make myself a cup of coffee and sit down with my Bible and journal.  I felt this gentle nudging in my mind to check out I Peter 3:3-4 . . .

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

With a mind that seems to be constantly going, those words - gentle and quiet - really stuck out to me, so I took a moment to look them up.

Gentle is defined as a mildness of disposition.  It is meant to describe someone who is wholly dependent on God.  It is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest.

Quiet is defined as tranquil and peaceable.  It can be literally translated to mean "keeping one's seat," describing someone who is still and undisturbed.

So here is how I read that verse after seeing these definitions - The beauty that is of great worth in God's sight is total trust in God where the situations around you cannot disturb you.  Even in those hard times, you have peace in the knowledge that God is still good and still in control.

Just a couple of weeks ago we heard of two families in our church facing really scary medical situations with their young daughters.  I've been able to keep up with these families some over social media and what has struck me most is the absolute faith these families (particularly the moms who I follow) have in God's control of the situation.  They've even taken time to write about "God sightings," ways they have seen God's hand in these hard times.  This.  This is the living example to me of what a gentle and quiet spirit looks like and I have no doubt these moms are absolutely gorgeous in God's sight!

Lord, may you cause each of us to trust you more.  To not look to ourselves to find answers and to not be afraid when trouble comes.  Instead let us sit undisturbed with complete and total dependence on You, knowing You are in control.  Amen.