“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:2-3
Stress can cause me to respond unpredictably. I stayed calm while hearing my husband’s terminal prognosis. Yet the next day in traffic I lost my temper at two red lights on my way to a meeting.
Little things can get to us: voicemail instead of a live person, traffic jams, no milk for our coffee. But as I cared for my bedridden husband, I needed to remember that little things such as a lumpy pillow or half-open window blinds were big things in his world.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian church while he was in a Roman prison. He urged the church to be humble, gentle, patient, and loving. Despite his situation, Paul could write this because the Holy Spirit united him with all believers under the Lord Jesus Christ. And these qualities are the fruit of His Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), to be applied in both big and little situations.
We can keep a similar attitude when our world is falling apart and when those we love are hurting. We do it as Paul did: relying on the Holy Spirit in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Little things can get to us: voicemail instead of a live person, traffic jams, no milk for our coffee. But as I cared for my bedridden husband, I needed to remember that little things such as a lumpy pillow or half-open window blinds were big things in his world.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian church while he was in a Roman prison. He urged the church to be humble, gentle, patient, and loving. Despite his situation, Paul could write this because the Holy Spirit united him with all believers under the Lord Jesus Christ. And these qualities are the fruit of His Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), to be applied in both big and little situations.
We can keep a similar attitude when our world is falling apart and when those we love are hurting. We do it as Paul did: relying on the Holy Spirit in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Scripture Focus
Ephesians 4:1-16
Insight
Ask the Lord for God-honoring responses to stress. As you surrender to Him, He’ll give you the fruit of His Spirit!
Bible In A Year
- Ezekiel 13-14
- Psalm 137
- Ephesians 5-6
