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God is Gentle

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Lingqun Qu
Lingqun QuAugust 23, 2025

When we think about God’s personality, what is our first impression? Is he a gentle Father or a harsh Master? When we look at Jesus, our Lord and Savior, we see that he is gentle toward sinners and willing to eat with them. Yes, our God is a gentle God. The Spirit who dwells in us is a gentle Spirit, and he speaks to us gently.

Recently I realize that when someone makes mistakes or sins against me, I am often not gentle in restoring them. Even if what I say is true, my tone can be harsh and strict. In those moments, the love and gentleness of God are not reflected in me.

That is why meditating on God’s gentleness is so crucial. Each day we should clothe ourselves with gentleness, reminding ourselves that God is gentle toward us. And as we do this, we gain the power and transformation to be gentle toward others.

God is gentle

35You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

12After the earthquake a fire passed; but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice.

11He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.

28“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

God calls us to clothes ourselves with gentleness

12Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

4But from the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.

1Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.

1A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2With all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

5Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

4A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit.

Illustrations

The Lord Appears to Elijah (1 Kings 19:9-14)

9He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, the LORD’s word came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
11He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” Behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12After the earthquake a fire passed; but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice.
13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Jesus gently forgave the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle,
4they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act.
5Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?”
6They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
7But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.”
8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
9They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle.
10Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”
11She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”

Prayer

Father God, thank you that you are always gentle in restoring us when we sin against you. You do not condemn us, but you convict us gently by your Spirit. Your gentleness makes us secure in your love.

Holy Spirit, thank you for always speaking to us in a gentle, still small voice. Forgive us when we ignore your voice. Help us to cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit in our inner being, so that the fruit of gentleness may be evident in our lives.

In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen!

Related Topics

•God is Love

•God is Merciful

•God is Patient