The Godly Womans Journey: God-Inspired Passions

Memory/Meditation verse: If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. ~ Romans 14:8 (NLT)

Do you think the Proverbs 31 Woman ever felt barren? Not barren in the form of the absence of a child in her womb but barrenness in the form of not filling fulfilled, not being fruitful or productive? Do you think she ever lived frustrated? Scripture doesn't reflect this. If this Proverbs 31 Woman was just as she is portrayed by the words of her son, she would be too perfect in all she does...right?

She never experienced a wayward child, right? She never experienced a stale marriage? She never felt worn out in her trusting of God to turn the pain in her life away, right?

Wrong...wrong...wrong. I believe that she was not tripped up by the pain in her life. Why? Because she choose to imitate Christ in every chance that she had. She demonstrated this over and over to the point that godly attitude is what others saw in her as recorded in Proverbs 31.

She also may have understood that her battles were won by love delivered through service. She embraced each painful or unplanned situation as an appointment from God. She was able to find some of her greatest healing from giving of herself when she was in her greatest pain, at her lowest, or greatly frustrated. I'm betting this godly woman reflected the words of Paul here in 2 Corinthians:

¹⁰Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.

^11-13And now, isn't it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You're more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at it from any angle, you've come out of this with purity of heart. And that is what I was hoping for in the first place when I wrote the letter. My primary concern was not for the one who did the wrong or even the one wronged, but for you—that you would realize and act upon the deep, deep ties between us before God. That's what happened—and we felt just great.~ 2 Cor 7: 10-11 (Message)

The godly woman does not allow the pain of her situation to wear her into the pit of withdrawal and discouragement but instead allows it to grow her heart closer to her God. Her heart grows with passion to resolve the outcome of her pain...be it her financial status, her troubled child, her failing marriage, her health...whatever the pain. She empties herself from what the pain holds by instead seeking to serve others and to mirror her Master, demonstrating obedience in the situation.

3 Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. ⁴ Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,⁶ who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. ⁷ Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, ⁸ He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. ~ Phil 2 (HCSB)

In Bill Hybels book, The Power of a Whisper, he wrote "Today Lord, just say the word". In other words..."no matter what is ahead of me, I give you control Lord".

Today Lord, Just say the word.

One woman might say, "My child is on a destructive path. My heart is worried sick but today Lord, just say the word and I will be obedient and love her and those involved even more."

Today Lord, Just say the word.

Another woman may reflect "My marriage is falling apart...I am so sad and lonely and scared but today Lord, just say the word and I will be obedient and serve my family despite this pain."

Today Lord, Just say the word.

Another might say "This disease is more than I can handle but today Lord, just say the word and I will be obedient and give to others around me, putting them first over my own personal concerns."

If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. ~ Romans 14:8 (NLT)

No matter what comes across the godly woman's path to put her into barrenness, she needs to hold on to the holy passion of her faith. Rather than being torn up, downcast and depressed over her hardship and pain, she treats the difficultly as a God appointed adventure that has eternal treasures. Turn the table to honor God, grasp His plan, love others, serve others, and keep trusting. Allow the pain to grow into a God-inspired passion.

God's holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground.
~ Rev 13:9b (Message)

Be godly. Live obediently. God-inspired passions grow most profoundly after our worst times. Embrace it confident that God's glory can and will prevail. Love and serve others in your pain and watch the amazing work of God around you and through you.

Francis of Assisi stated "Preach the gospel to everyone you meet, and use words only if you must". Love passionately. Serve passionately.

Living in His Embrace, Pamela