If God makes deep scratches in our souls, don’t blame anyone, for we asked to be formed by Him. We often forget that God works in ways beyond our taste and wishes. Trust God, for He knows how to scratch our souls so we become noble people. Without meekness, one will not allow oneself to be shaped. Children of God who truly yield to God’s forming—even when they don’t understand what He is doing—will still learn to give thanks. We must be honest when we do not understand the process God is working. Trust that God is very wise in designing the process to bring us to perfection. If we understand this, everything will have eternal value in our lives.
Stop blaming others for the circumstances in our lives. When we stop blaming, we will experience freedom, and the process of formation becomes productive in changing our inner being. Before we close our eyes, may we have formed a character like our glorious God—namely, the character of a noble child of God. This is our eternal achievement. In Galatians 5:23, meekness (prautes) is a fruit of the Spirit, not a gift. To possess this fruit, one must optimize reason and build daily experience with God.
Paul said, “Pursue meekness” (1 Tim. 6:11). This is not a talent but a fruit of the Spirit that must be pursued. The fruit of the Spirit is not gained automatically by prayer alone. Bearing fruit depends on our response to every life event. Meekness does not mean never being angry, but rather being able to manage feelings in line with God’s feelings. We must be sensitive to when to be silent and when to be angry. Parents, for example, need to be angry at the right time so the child understands right and wrong. A person must have a flexible emotional range—able to be firmly angry or calmly silent—according to God’s command. Everything we do must align with God’s mind and heart.
If our mind is filled with God’s Word, our life will be calm, and we will experience peace. Every action begins from a seed in the mind. Falling into sin does not happen suddenly; there is a seed. If the mind is filled with truth and holiness, there will be no room for hatred, sexual immorality, envy, or vengeance. The question is: what fills our minds? How is its quality?
We know we are still weak and often wrong, but do not stop changing and striving. The goal is a blameless and spotless life. God does not change someone without events and life processes involving humans, together with the Holy Spirit; even if we are not yet perfect, we can still love God. Those who love God surely love others, including their spouse. A spouse’s weakness is not a reason to fall apart. If someone regards problems apart from God’s presence as not a big deal, then other things will be considered bigger, which can lead to unfaithfulness to God and recklessness in life.