Meekness… It’s What Bwings Us Togevah Today

So, what is meekness?

The coolest way I have heard this word described was as “power under control.”

You see, God designed our bodies & our minds to do some pretty amazing things. Just think: mathematics, physics, calculus, engineering, artwork, athletics, & SO much more. It’s incredible! (Now, each of us have our strengths & are certainly not gifted in every area, for sure, but as a whole, humanity can create & build tremendous accomplishments, don’t you agree?)

The problem we all seem to struggle with in this grand design of humanity is the simple, yet quite challenging, practice of meekness.

But, I’ve Got This…!

It can be all too easy to see what we can do & run with it, never once inquiring of our great Maker for the best use of our God-given abilities.

We tend to either neglect our gifting, abuse our gifting, or use our gifting for purposes of our own, versus God’s (which, arguably, is the same as abusing it).

We talked last week, in “An Undeserved Grace” that God is 100% perfect in wisdom, understanding, & knowledge.

He also MADE us with incredible gifts! And while none of us possess every gift, we can certainly each use our unique gifts to support one another in love.

And since He is perfect in wisdom, understanding, & knowledge… AND He made us & gave us our gifts… It only stands to reason that the wise choice would be to ask Him to take the lead on how we use our gifts & how we live our lives.

Meekness in a Self-Driven Culture

I always pictured meekness as shyness or maybe timidity is a better word for how I felt. That I should shy away from using or improving my gifting.

And yet, others seem to think their gifting is for their own purposes. We could all stand to learn about having more meekness in a self-driven culture.

Meekness recognizes both boldness AND humility in perfect harmony. It represents the idea that while we know we were given wonderful gifting, they were given for a purpose,

God Just Really Does Know Best

You may be tempted to feel that God is thus trying to control you & limit you, but think of it this way, using it on your own, in your own way is really what is limiting you because you only have limited wisdom, understanding, & knowledge.

God knows PERFECTLY what is best in EVERY circumstance.

So, bowing our gifts to God is recognizing our own limitations, while acknowledging God’s perfect will & plan. It doesn’t mean we hide our strengths, but rather that we trust a perfect God over our imperfect selves to take the lead in our lives.

It is putting Him in the driver seat, allowing Him to act as Driver & Navigator, while we are the car (MADE by God). We let our God-given strengths & skills to be put to better use, trusting our loving Father to take the lead.

“Submission” Is Not a Bad Word

Words like “meekness”, “surrender”, & “submission,” sound scary because it takes control out of our own hands. But in this case, where it is being placed in the hands of ALMIGHTY God/our LOVING Heavenly Father, it is the BEST possible option, meant for both our benefit & that of everyone around us.

But… How…?

How do you become meek? How do you give up control when the “need” for control seems to be in our very nature?

Learning to know & love God more. Asking God to show you how. Asking Him to help you trust His control & to show you areas where you have a white-knuckled grip that needs to let go & let Him.

It’s okay to be terrible at meekness… join the club!

But don’t let it stop there.

Bow your head & heart to God, confess how HARD it is for you, & ask Him for His HELP, knowing how desperately you’re going to need it if you are ever to have success relinquishing control of your own life to God’s able hands & infinite wisdom.

Ask Him & don’t let fear ever keep you from asking.

God’s got you. He loves you. He is able.

Trust Him… And ASK.

Instead of THIS:

X Self-Soothe: Binging TV, food, phone time, or games to avoid stress… Turning to sex, relationships, drugs, alcohol, etc…. to feel better.

X Self-Shield: Defensiveness, avoidance, hatred, slander, gossip, withdrawal, isolation, fear, hidden hurts, not getting close to others… to protect yourself.

X Self-Solve: Stress, Just “dealing with it,” accepting things as is, acting out, coming up with your own solutions, giving up, taking a stand on your own wisdom/timing… to figure out a solution to a problem.

Try THIS:

O PRAY (Ask God) for comfort, healing, help, strength, courage, wisdom, truth & His love to help you feel better.

O PRAY (Ask God) for courage, wisdom, solutions, freedom, victory, strength, humility, meekness to help you fight trials the right way.

O PRAY (Ask God) for wisdom, solutions, direction, guidance, God’s way, patience, understanding through God’s perfect wisdom to help you solve a problem.

Let go & Let God.

Shine HOPE by learning to have a meek, submitted, & surrendered heart & life to our loving God Almighty.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week!

A Note from Michelle:

This blog/website has been running for over TWO years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Grace Earrings

These earrings feature gold plated metal around local capiz shell.

Artisan Information:

In the Philippines, finding employment as a woman in poverty can be extremely difficult. Poor working conditions, lack of job security, & unfair pay are often the realities. Through your purchase, these women are receiving an income, health care, & social development programs. This allows these women to realize their potential & pursue their dreams in a safe environment. You have the opportunity to change lives!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in the Philippines!

How You Can Help:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

The Smiling Façade

How often have you felt pressured to look like you have your life together?

Maybe you share a smiling photo on social media, while in the background is the reality of: 3 loads of laundry piled high on your living room couch, 3 days of dishes sit unwashed in the sink, & you haven’t even showered in a couple days. The pressure to have it all together seems insistent at times.

And maybe it goes beyond home chaos to inward chaos. The hurt of a lost friend or family member, loneliness, stress, worries, & pressures from every side telling you you’re not good enough (see last week’s post, here).

Social media has heightened this pressure. In an attempt for everyone to show their “good side”, we often get the impression that everyone else is handling life with ease while we struggle to even get the dishes done.

But what if we could work to change this?

But She’s Doing It, So Why Can’t I?

The first fear that pops into my mind is the good ol’ comparison battle, feeling that if I share my vulnerability, everyone else will respond with, “Wow, Michelle, you can’t even handle that?! Don’t you know I cook three square meals a day, finish all of the chores, all of my children are well behaved & successful, AND I manage time to bake a fresh dessert AND volunteer at our local shelter each day?”

I know that’s not reality. My head KNOWS that is not reality…. But I still find myself insecure sometimes when I am not as well “put together” as others seem to be as I scroll through my newsfeed.

Slowly Learning to Let My Weaknesses Show

I have had people ask me, in the times when I am vulnerable, if it embarrasses me to show that weakness.

But in circumstances where I have failed completely & lost all control, but also turned it over to God in humble surrender, asking for His help, guidance, strength, & peace, I saw Him come through for me each & every time.

And when I see my failures turn into a display for God’s glory, I can’t help but want to share!

Let Your Weaknesses Put God’s Glory on Display

It’s a call to others, as if to say, “We don’t have to have it all together, ladies! God is enough to fill in the gaps & lead us in His particular plans for our hours, days, weeks, etc., through HIS strength, wisdom, power, courage, peace, comfort, joy, love, etc.!”

I still struggle with being transparent, especially when I feel as if everyone else seems to have that area of their life together, while I feel like I am just giving myself grace in the messy failures of my life.

But I have found that there is great value in allowing myself to be transparent. It releases pressure from others & it releases me from the pressure of pretending to be more than I am.

It also allows me to display God’s help in my failures, weaknesses, insecurities, & learning curve of personal growth in my faith.

Getting Real about Daily Life

The honest truth is this… If you are a friend & come over unannounced, my house WILL be a mess (not dusted, not vacuumed, probably a dirty-ish bathroom, & dishes in the sink) … I don’t do chores on the weekends, unless we’re expecting company, so don’t expect it to look nice those days… And although I can manage to get laundry washed & dried & even hung up in the laundry room, expect to see the same clean clothes downstairs for at least the next week before I get around to putting them away (& I don’t even have kids!!)

I am not the best cook & I either tend to overcook things or get too excited with the spices which I probably didn’t exactly measure.

Vulnerability of the Heart

And my heart is prone to wander from God.

I am independent & selfish & proud… & those weaknesses don’t mesh well with submission to an all-powerful, all-knowing God. I always want to try my way until I fail enough times to stop & ask for His.

I pray & act… Versus praying & waiting on His answer. I want answers now & will usually fail at several of my own “solutions” by the time I stop to hear God’s answer whisper across my heart. I struggle with patience.

I am far from perfect, but I am perfectly loved by a perfect God.

He Is Faithful, Patient, & Kind

He gives me grace in the moment & is ever-patient with me. He waits with open arms each time I learn my need to bow at His wisdom over my own… Not judging, not berating… just patient love & grace, followed by His wisdom & guidance… every time.

I am so glad that He expresses the prodding for us to forgive 70 x7 times, because I need about that many with everything I do. I always rush into it my way, before understanding I needed to wait & pray for His way.

That’s where a lot of my stress, anxiety, fear, worries, or doubts stem from… trying to desperately make life work in my own wisdom, versus leaning into & relying on His.

God Is the ONLY One Who “Has It All Together”

I am a work in progress & I want to work at being even more transparent & vulnerable with each passing year.

I want my already present weaknesses on display, so that you can be blessed to see that not only does someone else NOT have their life together, but that God does, even when we don’t.

So, work on that today. Work on not only being transparent on social media, but also pointing to Jesus Christ as our hope in the midst of our #fails.

Even if you haven’t seen God’s answer or seen Him bring His solution… Show your weakness/fail with a prayer for His help, guidance, wisdom, strength, direction, courage, peace, love, patience, discipline, hope, etc.

Demonstrate Him as your source of hope in the midst of your frailty.

Demonstrate Him as the hope for it all.

Because He is… He really, really is.

He Is Our Hope in It All

Shine HIM as the hope, in the midst of your fails, insecurities, doubts, fears, anxieties, worries, weaknesses, & mistakes. Always use your life, the good AND the bad, to point back to Him in ALL things. He’s got you better than you do, Lovely. So, lean into Him through it all & in everything you do. Give Him the glory He deserves.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week!

A Note from Michelle:

If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Chelsie Necklace

This curved bar necklace features gold & rose gold tones. Hanging from a gold colored chain, this piece was named after one of our co-founders because of her golden & modern style, along with her passion for using sustainable business to end poverty.

Artisan Information:

The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, another woman is empowered out of poverty to be self-reliant! Women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, and receive education and healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in India!

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!