Daughters of Eve,
Daughters of God

Unlike the caterpillar that makes one cocoon and experiences a lasting dramatic change, daughters of God develop a meek and quiet spirit over a process of time. It is not inborn.

For years I wrestled to understand how I could stuff my bubbly, outgoing, passionate personality into a meek-and-quiet spirit box. John Coblentz 's definitions of meekness and quietness, and his explanation of the difference between "personality" and "spirit" help me understand just what it is that God desires of me:

"Meekness is being humbly submissive, especially in response to God or to the circumstances or people He has allowed in my life.

"Quietness is being calm in my spirit -- peaceful at the core -- even in the midst of the storm." John and his wife, Barbara, further described a quiet spirit as "an absolute surrender to God, knowing that God is able to turn my turbulence into peace."

When wild waves come crashing in rapid succession over my craft -- can I really be "humbly submissive" and "calm in spirit"? Those are tall orders for daughters of Eve, regardless of our personality types.

While some women are born with quiet personalities, or are by nature meek in temperament, all daughters of God need to work hard at developing meek and quiet spirits. For some of us meekness and quietness seems especially elusive because we have personalities that are outgoing and vivacious. We may be talkative, excitable, opinionated communicators. Is meekness and quietness beyond our reach? And what about women who are naturally quiet -- bashful, shy, or reserved? Or women who are calm, mild, and compliant in disposition? Is it correct to assume that they are also meek and quiet in spirit? The answers are "no." Meekness and quietness are possible for all daughters of God, whether they demonstrate it in bashful or in bubbly ways. And no one receives a meek and quiet spirit automatically, based on her personality traits.

First Peter identifies the spirit of meekness and quietness; that is, the character, rather than the personality of women. "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning...but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter 3:3,4). We are born with the personality traits God gave us. We grow in character, deep in our spirit.

from chapter five of Daughters of Eve, Daughters of God
© Copyright, Christian Light Publications

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