How many hats do you wear? The hat of wife, mom, girlfriend, friend, sister, daughter, teacher, secretary, waitress…
With all the positions we hold, I think we’ve all said yes to too much at one time or another and we feel like we have to scramble to do it all. Waking up extra early or going to bed late… just to cross off our lengthy to-do lists. We often end up leaving out what we know matters most as a Godly woman: sitting at the feet of Jesus like Mary in Luke 10:42.
We might not complain to Jesus directly that our “sister” is not helping us like Martha two verses prior. For us today, it might look like us lashing out at our friends, parents, spouses, or kids. Or yelling at the car in front of you who’s driving a tad too slow. Or getting frustrated with God because He isn’t helping us get it all done.
I’ve been there, too.
God never called for us to do it all. (Matthew 11:28) Striving to be a Godly woman is not another item on our to-do lists. Striving to be a Godly woman actually looks like surrender. Laying down our own agendas for His perfect plan.
If you’ve ever read Proverbs 31 and felt like you don’t measure up, I’m with you. It sounds like a passage that tells us what we all need to be doing. But that passage isn’t to point out where we fall short. It was a mom sharing what to search for in a future wife to her son.
Proverbs 31 is an example of the abundance of qualities God will give us as we grow to godliness. If you have Christ, you already are on a path to becoming a Godly woman, a Proverbs 31 woman, or a ‘Mary’ in Luke 10:42.
So, what does growing as a Godly woman look like considering all the roles we hold?
The obvious answer towards growing as a Godly woman is to read God’s word and pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) But here are some ways to do that practically.
· Get a Bible reading plan & read everyday
There are many online and on Pinterest. Having a plan keeps us accountable and consistent. We don’t have to wonder where we are to read as it’s already predetermined. I like to call it the quiet time equivalent of setting out your clothes the night before.
Also, side note if you feel like you won’t understand all of it right away. That’s okay! There’s still so much I don’t understand. We will never understand it all. But the Holy Spirit may bring it to your mind when you need it.
One way I like to read the bible is to have my app read it while I follow along in my printed bible.
It’s really important to read God’s word every day, and to get to a place of reading all parts of scripture, not just our favorite passages. I’m definitely guilty of turning to Ephesians many more times than Ezekiel. And even if you initially have a check-list approach God can work with that too. I’ve done this a lot too.
A well-known author says if we have time for breakfast, we have time to read God’s word. This is really convicting, but we don’t need to feel guilt or shame. God can meet us right where we are. We aren’t condemned because we haven’t always read His word in the past.
· Read Bible commentaries
You don’t have to be a Theologian to get deep in God’s word. Some bibles have commentaries built in and there are many great online resources to help us know the context, the reason for the passage, and who it is for. It can really help our understanding of God’s word. Enduring Word Commentary is one of my favorites.
· Use a prayer journal
As a writer, I like to write out my prayers from time to time, but mostly I use this to write out bullet points to pray through prayer requests. You can do this too! It is also amazing to go back and see how the Lord has moved in your life.
· Worship music
I love creating worship playlists on my phone and worship while cleaning the house or driving down the road. This is one of my favorite ways to remember to surrender.
Adding these fruitful practices in, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit discerning what to take out, won’t make everything perfect. It will help us navigate the busy, but it won’t spare us from what’s hard. (John 16:33) In fact, things might get more difficult, because the enemy hates seeing us move toward godliness.
I have experienced this. When my husband and I decided to start reading God’s word together, we noticed difficulties arising. And every time I start a new writing endeavor life gets hard. This isn’t to scare you, but I don’t want to give the impression that moving towards godliness makes life sunshine and rainbows.
Because as Godly women, we will still struggle. Last year, I struggled in some specific ways. I thought I messed up too much and that any progress I made towards godliness was lost. But thankfully that’s not how God works. I learned we have to start from a place of surrender. Then we will be able to clearly see that God allowed us to walk through hard things to make us more Godly.
What are some hard things in your life? Are the hard things in your life making you more discontent, angry, anxious, depressed or are they driving you towards holiness and godliness…? And just because we feel feelings of discontent, anxiety or depression doesn’t mean God’s not working it all out for His good. Feelings are fleeting. They don’t tell the whole truth. This is why it is important to be in God’s word to know the truth.
If I hadn’t walked through some of the specific hard things, He’s walked me through I wouldn’t have cried out to Him like I did. Think about what’s brought you to your knees in the past. Has God been able to bring out something good of it? A heart change perhaps? Have you been able to help someone else because of it? If the answer is no, then that means He’s still working with it. Suffering is not for nothing, as said by a 1900s author.
God is more concerned with humbling our hearts and growing toward godliness than giving us a stress-free, suffering-free life.
So, as we walk in the way of a Godly woman let’s remember to keep our eyes on Christ and do that by remaining daily in His Word and in constant prayer.
Britney Froese 