Grow in Gentleness – Dyed4you Art

Grow in Gentleness reminds us that there is power in gentleness. It is neither weak nor ineffective, but rather a formidable fruit whose impact can be unexpectedly far-reaching. 

  • Galatians 5:22-23 (TPT) But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.
  • Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP)But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
  • Galatians 5:22-25 (MSG) But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way.

A Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Bear Fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us]…

Beloved, dwell with Me. Let My Spirit do its work in you. A plant without water will not flourish, it will die. Allow the water of My Spirit to refresh and bring forth life in and through you. If you abide with Me, you cannot help but bear fruit. And that fruit will be abundant and visible to all, it will be sweet, and it will teach others of Me without you saying a word. You will simply reflect Me and My character.

Stay in My presence. Choose to hover there. In these periods of gestation, I AM growing beautiful things in you. Let them come to full term, let them mature. Take your time with Me. There are blessings that only come in My presence and I desire those for you greatly. Come be with Me and see what comes forth as a result.

John 15:4 (AMP) Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.

Another Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Be Sensitive.

Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is…gentleness…

Beloved, there are moments to be bold, but there are also moments to be gentle. Allow My Spirit to show you the difference. Keep your flesh in check in the moments it wants to reign free, but I’m calling you to keep it in check – remember that you rule it, not vice versa. Allow Me to lead and trust Me as I do.

In the same way My voice both thunders and is still and small, so must you be sensitive to what the moment calls for. There are some to whom a raised voice will always equal violence, and in the same way, some view gentleness as a license to walk all over you. Trust Me to know the difference and allow My Spirit to bring forth My fruit in your character as you stay yielded to My flow.

Proverbs 29:11 (CJB) A fool gives vent to all his feelings, but the wise, thinking of afterwards, stills them.

The “PURITY OF HEART” card from D4Yart Deck 3 is connected to this. The card is based on the “The Beauty of Holiness” Dyed4you Art piece, and it reads, “Refuse to allow low energy and emotions to taint the essence of who you are, and do it not for anyone else, but simply because you are always with yourself. Choose the high road – kindness, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Be pure of heart. Love well and deeply. Be the same regardless of who is watching, and allow nothing to take away that beauty of countenance.”

A prophetic download called “Bearing the Fruit of Divine Love” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

I once had a dream where the whole world was united in divine love. That love began in our hearts as a golden light radiating throughout our bodies. As that love moved outside our bodies, it became like a fabric that interconnected us. I felt complete oneness with all people, all of creation, and God.

As the dream progressed, my youngest sister, Emme, lost something precious to her. As I asked her what she was looking for, my father, who was standing at a distance, criticized Emme for her constant irresponsibility. Instead of responding to him, I had an inner knowing that his words were not beneficial and that it rather would be more helpful to help Emme focus on a solution. 

People surrounded us, and Emme was afraid someone would steal her precious item. I reminded her that now that we were all one, we wouldn’t have to fear anyone taking what wasn’t theirs. Even more, we could trust others and ask for help finding her item; ultimately, I knew they would pitch in and help out of mutual love for their neighbor. And that’s precisely what happened. Within a few moments, Emme’s item was found.

This dream left a deep impression on me. Oneness with God is a subject I meditate on often, and I’ve had spiritual experiences that have given me a glimpse of what pure oneness with humanity could be like. Divine love is always at the center of it. 

As I sought God for revelation and the practical application of this dream in my daily life, the fruit of the Spirit was highlighted to me. A moment that stood out strongly was my choice not to react to or reinforce my father’s harsh words to my sister (a fleshly response); instead, I chose loving action (a spiritual response). Like a doctor prescribing specific medicines to heal an ailment, the voice of divine love in my heart prescribed gentleness, patience, and peace as a remedy to Emme’s predicament. 

As the Passion Translation describes beautifully, “the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions.” As I’ve experienced in my walk with God, divine love comes in many forms. And through the Holy Spirit and according to the new covenant, God’s law of divine love is written upon the tablets of our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). As we abide in Christ and bear the fruit of the Spirit, we have an abundant harvest to draw from to remedy every situation in our lives. 

Galatians 5:22-24 (TPT) But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 (ESV) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

A portion of a post by Meghan Williams from MeghanW.com is connected to this. It’s called “Power vs. Force.”

Often we mistakenly view various forms of strength as being all from the same core. But as I’ve grown in both age and wisdom, I have realized there is a dramatic difference between true power and sheer force. Force comes from striving, whereas power comes from innate strength and a yielding to the authority that comes with it.

This is why when we try to “make” ourselves do things, we may succeed for a while but it’s hard to maintain over time because it takes so much energy to strive to be successful. Often this is because the reasons we are even trying to strive in the first place are low level emotions (e.g. dieting because of self-hatred, saving money because of a fear of lack). 

True power comes as we begin to make choices from a place of love and peace (e.g. eating differently because we love ourselves enough to want to feel healthier, saving because we want to bless our future self with peace of mind). True power is actually a place of yielding to the greater good, rather than forcing something.

We may see the fruit of gentleness as weak, but that is when it is compared to “force;” however, in terms of power, gentleness can be surprisingly strong. We have only to think of a mother’s love – both tender and fierce – to understand that what is gentle can be incredibly powerful. So may we be intentional to cultivate this fruit – not as the only one in our arsenal, but rather in addition to them all. For each fruit is good in its season, and as we are intentional to cultivate them, Spirit will lead us in their use. 

The “FAVOR” card from D4Yart Deck 3 is connected to this. The card is based on the “Open Gateway” Dyed4you Art piece, and it reads, “Love yourself, and let yourself be saturated in Divine Love. You are wrapped in supernatural favor, so trust doors to open and unexpected blessings to abound. You don’t need to earn anyone’s love or approval, simply be you. Walk in integrity and kindness, overflow with love, and be rich in mercy – and trust favor to follow you wherever you go.”

{Artist note} As I first began pressing in about this piece, I felt a feather – soft and gentle. Next, I saw a bubble sitting on the feather – a reminder of the power of gentleness, for in that instance, any “force” would pop the fragile bubble. How many around us feel likewise fragile? How many situations crave delicate handling for a harmonious outcome? May we excel in understanding the power of gentleness and in cultivating it within ourselves. 

The name of the silk hidden in this image is Batach YHWH (Trust the LORD). The colors in it are white representing purity and royal blue representing righteousness

Father, may we richly bear fruit, and may it be a blessing to You and a testament of Your hand in our lives. To You be all the honor and glory.