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While peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit that we crave for ourselves—patience, kindness, and goodness—has to do with our treatment of others. The order of this listing implies that kindness is the next step we are to take after we have practiced patience when wronged. I know my natural response when someone has hurt me is to react and decide, “Well, you’re off my list! I don’t have to put up with that kind of treatment! I’ll just withhold my love from you.” But moments like these are precisely when you and I need to have spiritual victory and be kind instead. This supernatural act requires God, the Holy Spirit, filling us with His kindness.
Right now I want to challenge you to choose your number one problem person and take him or her before the Lord in prayer. I also want you to take before God your pain, your harsh thoughts, your temptations to respond in an unchristian manner, and your confessions of times when you’ve given in to those thoughts or temptations. Acknowledge your unkindness as well as any times when you withheld kindness.
Then go a step further and ask God to help you show His kindness to the very person who hurt you, who caused your pain, who is causing you to suffer, and who is making your life miserable. While you are suffering long and waiting patiently under ill-treatment, be kind. For love suffers patiently and is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4).
A friend once gave me a little calendar so that each day I can flip a page over and read an encouraging statement. Well, one day I a message about kindness struck me as I read, “Kindness is the ability to love people more than they deserve.” Can we do that, dear friend? God says we can—and His Spirit helps us. So…
Pray for your enemies, those people who mistreat and use you (Luke 6:28). You will find you cannot hate a person you are praying for. You also can’t neglect that person. Try it! You’ll find these statements to be true because prayer and hatred don’t go together. Neither do prayer and neglect.
Spend time with God so that you may own up to any ill will you have toward an individual or group of people.
Study Jesus’ life for more examples of kindness and then follow in His steps. Keep a journal of those instances of His kindness as you discover them, noting the circumstances surrounding His graciousness.
Ask for God’s help in demonstrating the Spirit’s kindness to those people. Ask God to help you become known more as a comforter and less as a confronter. Pray for God to fill your heart with His compassion as you walk each day and every step along the way with Him.
A Prayer to Pray:
Jesus, You were so humble and willing to serve. I want to follow your example of kindness. Keep me from being caught up in wanting to be in charge of everything. Help me look for places to serve and uplift others.
Find more encouragement to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus by Elizabeth George.
Read Things to Do Today to Walk in Kindness on Elizabeth & Jim George.
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Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
How did men and women in the Bible accomplish great things for God? There wasn’t any secret formula or bestselling book on success for them. In fact, they were ordinary people like you and me. What made them effective was their willingness to obey God—one decision at a time.
