Are you broken and battered, feeling like you just can’t face one more challenge? Have you been beating yourself up over your perceived failures? Are you hungering for just a taste of kindness?
When I feel like this, I need to remind myself that my God is gentle. He is ready and waiting to cradle me in His arms and soothe my troubled mind. Even when I am critical of myself and my actions, He is not. He accepts me for who I am, for indeed, He created me. He is kind and tender towards me even when I cannot find enough grace to be kind to myself.
We live in a world that can leave us burdened and bruised. Not only do we treat ourselves more critically than we should, but other people can beat us up too. They don’t think before they speak, saying things that tear us to the core. They focus their anger on us. We become the target of attacks that we cannot control and don’t understand. Life itself can leave us feeling broken. We face financial strain, relationship troubles, family tragedies, and personal illness. The simple busyness of life forces us to push forward, not giving our bodies and minds a chance to rest or heal.
We know we need to keep going and we do, pushing ourselves with severity and harshness when every muscle in our body is straining for a break. This severe treatment of ourselves is not God’s will for us and our lives. He is kind and tender. He is a God of love. He is gentle with us when we can’t figure out how to be gentle with ourselves.
In 1 Kings 19:11-12 we are told that, “the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.” God wasn’t in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire. He was not found in the chaos. He was found in the soft sound of a low whisper. His voice was gentle.
In Isaiah 40:11 we are reminded of God’s role as a shepherd who loves His sheep, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” How comforting it is to know that when I can’t walk any further, even when I keep pushing myself to, God will gently gather me up in His arms, cradle me to His chest, and carry me.
Our God is a gentle God and we can rest softly in His strength.
