things of the heart

((clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.)) COLOSSIANS 3:12

compassion: pity, favor, grace, mercy.
this can only be defined as the unexplainable feeling we encounter when we see others suffering that evokes an an extreme desire to reach out in whatever way we are able, ultimately resulting in leveraging our full effort to do so no matter what the sacrifice.

kindness: goodness, uprightness, gentleness. the inner desire to be available, to be positive, to be constructive, to be light. kindness can be defined in a million actions, but in this context I believe it to be best pinned to sharing the life we have found in Jesus Christ not only through spreading the gospel verbally, but by being an example in all we say and do.

humility: lowliness of mind, modesty. this is the realization that He is God and we are not. nothing we can ever do, ever accomplish, ever strive to be will compare to the glory that saved us. this is a mindset that is not prideful and independent, but is instead dependent on all that our Savior is. it is a daily admittance that without Him, we are dust.

gentleness: mildness, meekness, gentle strength. the Lord is our strength, and to rest in that, to rest in the truth that we are constantly being defended and fought for by a victorious King is transforming. no longer do we need to feel as if we must be ferociously fighting to survive, to advance, to receive, the battle has already been won.

patience: forbearance, longsuffering. i struggle with this the most, the waiting. patience is knowing that God is a good God who is Sovereign over all things. He is above and before all things and He has not missed one detail. therefore, in the times where our timelines don’t quite match God’s we must be patient that He is higher, His ways are better and He has designed a time for everything, and His time is perfect.