Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. I PETER 3:3-4 NIV 

When she looked up different ministry opportunities at her church, the Flower Ministry caught her eye. She’d help other women use leftover flowers from the Sunday pulpit floral spray to fill small vases that they’d take to a nearby nursing home. 

Over time, she came to know each of the elderly residents. She learned about their life stories and the people of their past, along with their quirks and interests. But one of the women stood out from the rest. Betty’s eyes lit up with joy every time the church volunteer walked in for a visit. With otherworldly acuity, the old woman always remembered her name and asked questions to keep current on what was happening in the young woman’s life. More than anything, Betty loved to talk about Jesus, sharing the stories of her past that proved God’s amazing faithfulness through her years. “Miss Betty,” the weekly visitor often commented, “you help me more than I help you! Your love for our Lord is more beautiful than the flowers I bring!”  

God agrees! Gentle and quiet spirits reveal a deep trust in Jesus and a soul that is led by His Spirit. It’s not an outward appearance or temperament determined by genetics; it’s a result of day-by-day devotion to the Lord that tenderizes our hearts and teaches us to let Him lead. As our God-reliance grows, we stop needing to control our circumstances or speed through the moment to get to what we think might be better. Instead, we’re content in our present moment because that’s where we meet our Savior. In the present, we enter into each opportunity the Spirit gives to pour into others. Our communion with Christ shines through our souls, and the world witnesses the kind of beauty that blesses God. 

Father, I’m daily bombarded with ways to achieve external beauty, but I want inner transformation instead. Please tenderize my heart to be soft and gentle in Your hands as You form Christ’s character inside of me. In Jesus’s name. 

This is an excerpt from True Sweetness: Growing in the Fruits of the Spirit – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.