Does reading about the Proverbs 31 Woman make you cringe a little? She is strong, wise, kind, fearless, and everything I used to struggle to believe about myself. Instead of feeling encouraged, I felt inadequate. I wondered how this picture of godly womanhood could apply to someone like me.
Have you ever read one of God’s promises and felt a quiet ache inside? You hold onto that promise with hope, yet wonder why it has not come true in your life. Perhaps you have begun to wonder whether God sees your pain or whether His promises truly apply to you. You read about healing, comfort, peace, and joy, but your heart still feels heavy and uncertain.
Growing up, I was never a fan of classical music. This might be because my stepfather played Handel’s Messiah every Christmas at an ear-splitting level. To clarify, I didn’t mind the words or message, just the type of singing, and the fact that he blasted it so loud. To this day, I can still hear the words “For unto us a Child is born…Wonderful, Counselor” echoing in my brain at full volume.
“The ‘golden hour’, what’s that?” I asked the young woman with the camera. She smiled at me and said, “You’ll see; just watch.” So, I wearily sat on a rock and stared at the lake while I waited for my husband to return from fishing. It was nearing the end of a long, hot day, and I felt lightheaded and shaky. I’d recently been enduring a series of difficult days, in and out of the hospital, due to poor health. That’s why we took this day trip to the lake. We needed a break. However, I hadn’t felt well enough to enjoy it.
We were never meant to figure things out on our own. Trust me, I’ve tried. I am a classic overthinker. I make informed decisions by weighing the pros and cons and determining the best course of action. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out the way I thought they would. So I end up going to God and pleading for help.
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) Do you know what our greatest weapon is? Let me explain. There have been days when…
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5 (NIV) Why must I reach the end of my rope before I utter…
I do it all the time. Maybe you do, too. I speak negative words about myself. Sometimes, I make a joke: “Oops, I did it again! I am so clumsy!” Sometimes, I grumble in frustration: “I’m so scatterbrained. I must be having a senior moment.” But sometimes, I am just not kind to myself: “I’m so fat, ugly, stupid…”
But, dear one, our words have power.
I saw this inspiring quote on Social Media: “Be bold enough to use your voice, brave enough to listen to your heart, and strong enough to live the life you’ve always imagined.“ Initially, I thought, “Wow, that’s good.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this is instructing us to put our hope in ourselves. And I thought, “Nope, that’s not where I want to put my hope. I want to put my hope in God.”
Have you ever read something that made you stop in your tracks? Recently, I read this phrase on a social media meme: “You’re not failing; you’re learning.” It hit me so hard I began to cry because I knew God was speaking to my heart. The omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing) God showed up in my ordinary scrolling.
