October 31

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger. — Zeph 2:3 BSB

How are we to pursue the grace of meekness? By learning from its opposite. How often have we mistaken false fire for the true light and fire of God's Spirit, contending more for our own views, in our own spirit, with rash and unwise words, rather than for the glory of God. Over time, we begin to see that strife and contention, in our own spirit, are contrary to the spirit of the gospel. We are brought to realize what a blessed grace the spirit of meekness is. Indeed, it’s often our lack of it—our quick tempers, anger, strife, envy, and jealousy—that convinces us how little we understand "the meekness and gentleness of Christ." It’s through these struggles that we begin to see how blessed it is to be made humble and submissive, and we realize how impossible it is to commune with a broken-hearted Jesus unless our souls are, to some degree, softened by His Spirit.

It is through a series of trials and provocations that we learn whether or not we possess meekness. A husband may seem very meek while his wife and children are doing everything to please him—but where is his meekness when they irritate or provoke him? A master may appear meek when his servant is obedient and attentive, but how does he respond when things go wrong? In this way, our awareness of the disease makes us desire the remedy. The wretched feelings caused by anger and a bad temper make us long for the sweet peace that gospel meekness brings to the conscience.