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The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 79

Be Gentle with Yourself!

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

– Ephesians 4:2

At first glance it may appear as though this is a relatively isolated cause for concern. One may ask, what is being gentle with yourself compared to loving your enemies and forgiving those who hurt you? How could you struggle that much to be gentle with yourself? You would be amazed to know that persons who experience anxiety and depression often beat up on themselves for the things that they thought they didn’t do right. Blame themselves for the things that they thought they did wrong and for the wrong things that others did to them. They believe that they should have had control of their lives but they didn’t because they relinquished their control to the enemy of their soul, not consciously and willingly but in ignorance.

If you are one of those persons, know that thought all the things you have experienced are not good because you love God, He works them all together for your good according to His purpose (see Romans 8:28) so that like Joseph you can say, what the enemy meant for evil God intended for your good (see Genesis 50:20).

Be gentle with yourself because God is gently affectionate towards you. Humbly be first to yourself mild-mannered, kind, temperate, calm as a nurse cares for little children, with patience endurance regarding your errors or weaknesses, holding yourself up from falling against all odds or bearing with yourself in affection or benevolence, in like manner as you are expected to do for one another. To be gentle as well as longsuffering, forbearing and loving with yourself is to demonstrate to yourself these very precious segments of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23) with which you are already equipped. Therefore, it is incumbent for you to be gentle with yourself, in other words, as my adopted mother often says to me, “whatever you do take care of yourself”.     

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I worship You with my whole heart. Thank You for Your gentle love for me and equipping me with the fruit of the Spirit. I declare that with humility I am gentle, patient and benevolent with myself. Therefore, by the grace of God I will uphold myself from falling during adversity. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!