Characteristics of a Meek and Quiet Spirit

Zephaniah 2:3
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

1 Timothy 6:11
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

We are to seek meekness, put on meekness, and pursue meekness.  This is a wonderful article below that lists some of the characteristics of a meek and quiet spirit.  I fall so short of having this type of a spirit and realize that I can't develop these characteristics on my own.  Only through abiding in Christ and His grace can I ever manifest any of these characteristics mentioned below.  Meekness isn't a word we use very often in our society.  Society teaches that we are to be bold, loud, outspoken, opinionated,and to stand up for our "rights" as women.  Being submissive, having a meek and quiet spirit is looked down upon by society, but is highly valued by God. 




The meek will be at rest in the storms of life …

(Matthew 11:28–30; Psalm 37:7; Hebrews 4:1–11)

The fretful will be fearful in the storms of life …

(Mark 4:35–41; Jeremiah 50:6)



The meek will react to circumstances with peaceful trust …

(Isaiah 26:3–4)

The fretful will attempt to manipulate individuals or circumstances …

(James 4:1–3; Proverbs 7:21)



The meek will make life choices based on Scriptural principles …

(Psalm 119:105)

The fretful will make life choices based on emotions or fleeting passions of the moment …

(James 3:13–18; Proverbs 19:16)



The meek woman’s confidence is in the security of the truths of Scripture and the faithfulness of God …

(Proverbs 3:26, 14:26; Psalm 119:165; Jeremiah 17:7–8)

The fretful woman’s trust is in her own abilities and power to control others and details …

(Proverbs 12:15, 14:12, 16:25; Jeremiah 18:12)







“Meekness is the silent submission of the soul to the 'providence' of God concerning us.”

—Matthew Henry



The meek woman finds her worth and value in knowing who she is in Christ …

(Ephesians 1:3–8)

The fretful woman finds her worth and value in her own accomplishments and what others think of her …

(Psalm 49:11–20; Proverbs 11:28, 16:18–19, 29:25)




The meek woman finds her strength of character in Christ …

(Ephesians 5:8–11)

The fretful woman finds her strength of character in her own personality traits …

(Proverbs 28:26)


Meekness restrains the stormy tempest of our emotions and passions by commanding them“peace be still” …

(Proverbs 16:32)

Fretting fuels the stormy tempest by venting passions and emotions …

(Psalm 37:8; Proverbs 14:29–30, 29:11, 22)



Meekness is the strength and courage to battle and overcome our own sinful anger and passions, by holding fast to peace—through trusting in the providence of Almighty God …

(Romans 12:18–19; Colossians 3:1–17; 1 Peter 4:19)

The fretful woman is too fearful and weak to trust God,but allows her sinful emotions and passions to rule …

(Proverbs 28:25)


“The work and office of meekness is to enable us to govern our own anger when at anytime we are provoked, and patiently bear out the anger of others that it may not be a provocation to us.”

—Matthew Henry



Meekness is constancy and steady composure in spirit and frame of mind, reflecting the consistent stability of our Lord, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

(Psalm 102:25–27; Ephesians 4:13–15; 1 Peter 3:13–16; Hebrews 13:8)

The fretful woman is always on a roller-coaster ride of emotions, continually up and down …the only thing consistent about her is that you never know what mood to expect.

(Proverbs 21:9, 19, 25:24)



Meekness does not allow the mind to run away with vain imaginations and to dwell on thoughts which inflame volatile emotions and passions …

(2 Corinthians 10:3–5; Philippians 4:8–9)

The rash woman is filled with suspicions, doubts, and assumptions based entirely on emotion, and allows these imaginations to determine the course of action …
(3 John 9–10)



The meek woman does not avoid or run from controversy, but walks through necessary confrontations under the control of the Holy Spirit …

(Galatians 6:1–2; Proverbs 27:5)

The rash woman enters controversy hastily and recklessly …

(Proverbs 10:19, 13:3, 14:16–17, 29:20)




The meek woman is at peace because she is master over her passions …

(Proverbs 17:27, 25:28, 29:11)

The rash woman is fretful because she is mastered by her passions …

(Psalm 37:1–8; Romans 6:16; James 1:14–17)




“It is better by silence to yield to our brother, who is, or has been, or may be, our friend, than by angry speaking to yield to the devil, who has been, and is, and ever will be , our sworn enemy.”

—Matthew Henry




The meek woman speaks truth in love, the law of kindness is on her lips …

(Proverbs 31:26, 16:24; Ephesians 4:1–2, 29)

The rash woman speaks harshly, and is not truly concerned for the listener’s feelings …

(Proverbs 12:18, 16:27; James 3:6–12)




The meek woman patiently waits to hear the whole matter before reacting …

(Proverbs 15:28)

The rash woman reacts emotionally before giving time to pause and consider …

(Proverbs 15:18, 18:13)



The meek woman is not unemotional, but her emotions are ruled by the Spirit of God …

(Proverbs 14:30, 31:25; Galatians 5:22–26; Philippians 4:4–7)

The fretful woman is ruled by circumstances, emotions, and passions …

(Proverbs 29:22; Psalm 37:1–8)


“To study the art of quietness is to take pains with ourselves, to work upon our own hearts the principles, rules, and laws of meekness; and to furnish ourselves with such considerations as tend to the quieting of the spirit in the midst of the greatest provocations.”

—Matthew Henry


The meek woman does not entertain suspicions or assume the worst concerning others—but reacts based on first-hand knowledge …

(Proverbs 18:13, 17)

The rash woman imagines and assumes the worst, then she reacts accordingly …

(1 Timothy 4:7, 5:13)


The meek woman is not easily offended …

(Proverbs 19:11; Romans 14:19, 1 Corinthians 13:4–7)

The fretful woman is easily offended …

(Romans 12:3, 16)


The meek woman forgives quickly …

(Matthew 5:23–25; Ephesians 4:26–27, 31–32)

The fretful woman holds onto offenses and hurts, becoming bitter …

(Hebrews 12:14–15)


Meekness demonstrates gracious restraint. It responds to accusations or criticism with restraint rooted in humility, by recognizing that without God’s grace, I am capable of far worse than what I am being accused.

(1 Peter 3:8–9)



Rashness seeks vengeance. It responds to accusations or criticism with the wrath of a haughty heart.

(Romans 12:14–19)




“If God should be as angry with me for every provocation as I am with those about me, what would become of me?”

—Matthew Henry


The meek woman is still and knows that He is God; therefore she trusts in Him and is at peace …

(Psalm 46:10; Proverbs 18:10, 30:5)

The fretful woman runs through life at a frantic pace, not stopping long enough to sit still and listen to the Master’s voice …

(Luke 10:38–42)

“It is 'in the sight of God of great price.' It is really a precious grace, for it is so in the sight of God … Herein we should every one labor and this we should be ambitious of, as of the greatest honor … it is a thing attainable through the Mediator from whom we have received instruction how to walk so as to please him. We must walk with meekness and quietness of spirit, for this is 'in the sight of God of great price.' Therefore this mark of honor is, in a special measure, put upon the grace of meekness, because it is commonly despised and looked upon with contempt by the children of the world … meekness and quietness of spirit is a very excellent grace which we should every one of us put on and be adorned with.”

— Matthew Henry



© Revive Our Hearts. Written by Kimberly Wagner. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com

Meekness is not to be confused with weakness: the meek are not simply submissive because they lack the resources to be anything else. Meekness is quite compatible with great strength and ability as humans measure strength, but whatever strength or weakness the meek person has is accompanied by humility and a genuine dependence on God. True meekness may be a quality of the strong, those who could assert themselves but choose not to do so.

Leon Morris
Matthew, Eerdmans, 1992, p. 98.

Article shared on the Raising Homemakers Link Up.