A Thought for This Day...

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Don't lose any opportunity, however small, of being gentle toward everyone. Don't rely on your own efforts to succeed in your various undertakings, but only on God's help. Then rest in his care of you, confident that he will do what is best for you, provided that you will, for your part, work diligently but gently. I say "gently" because a tense diligence is harmful both to our heart and to our task and is not really diligence, but rather over eagerness and anxiety...I recommend you to God's mercy. I beg him, through that same mercy, to fill you with his love. - Francis de Sales (found this on Tripp's blog...)

Comments

altar ego said…
This is timely. I had a tender day yesterday--stuff protected in my heart. I had a "come to Jesus meeting" with myself, and truly felt that the Spirit helped me climb onto a next step of sorts. This morning at church, shortly before the service, I reacted to something that someone has done and stirred up some tension. I'm not alone in causing the tension, but I unwittingly kicked it. During the liturgy I reflected upon my actions and repented, and afterward extended my apology to the person in question. He seemed uninterested, and though it was important to make that apology to him, it was also important for me to repent of my part in the mess. The situation around which all this is taking place is still present and unresolved, but I believe I turned a corner in my own being in terms of being gentle. Yankees can sometimes be direct, and no matter what may be in my heart and mind in terms of mercy and compassion, what comes out of my mouth is what people know. I am grateful to have undergone a transformation of sorts in an effort to act more gentle.
6/13/2010 1:15 PM
Jan said…
This is really good. Thank you.
6/13/2010 2:39 PM
mid-life rookie said…
Just what I needed this morning as I work on planning worship for July. Thanks so much.
6/14/2010 10:28 AM
Anonymous said…
Gentle.

Surprising how hard that can be. Especially with ourselves. Children, husband even, friends no problem. But ourselves.

Hard.
6/16/2010 12:01 PM
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