Stronger
"She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."
~Proverbs 31:25~
After a conversation with a special lady this past week, I felt compelled and drawn to read Proverbs 31 and about the "wife of noble character." We all go through tough times when the days seem endless, our to-do lists keep growing, or we're just out of sync with our hubby. When we live in this stressful and challenging world of ours, days like the one mentioned above are bound to happen. Marriage is such a wonderful, sacred, and amazing blessing but that certainly doesn't mean that it will not present challenges.
The wife in Proverbs 31 is beyond admirable and is an incredible example of what God wants us to do within our role as a wife. She provides food and clothing for her family, she is prepared for hard times, she is up before sunrise, she helps the less fortunate, and she even buys her own land and plants a vineyard... you get the picture! She is a busy, multitasking, hard working lady and her husband and children find wisdom in her and call her blessed. Amazing! But my favorite verse is verse 25. It shows she is strong. She is dignified. She laughs at days to come. She is free of worry. She is not anxious. She is ready for what lies ahead and welcomes any challenge that may unwrap itself in front of her. Can we relate to this? Can we describe ourself in the same manner? I'd like to think that I am a pretty easy going gal who strives to find the positive side of things throughout life but it wasn't two weeks ago that I had a breakdown in the car because I felt so overwhelmed. I was a mix of emotions and just down right stressed about changes that were happening so quickly in our lives. Great changes but nonetheless, changes.
We all have our moments. We are after all, only human. But when I read today's verse: "She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come", I imagine myself literally clothing myself in my armor of strength and dignity each morning and preparing for the day's tasks. I envision myself laughing and approaching the day with a carefree, positive attitude. We are women and wives of God and no matter the changes, challenges, or emotional barriers we are fighting, we can overcome them because we have God protecting and providing for us. We can clothe ourselves with His strength and fight whatever battle that we may be facing.
Proverbs 31 provides an exemplary woman to model what being a wife is all about. We are so much more that what meets the eye. We are strong, ready, and able women of God.
Other Key Verses:
"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks."
~Proverbs 31:17~
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
~Proverbs 31:30~
Biblical Wife Challenge:
As a wife, what challenge are you facing today? Write a prayer asking God for strength during this time and for Him to clothe you each day in the necessary attire to face this challenge.
Read through Proverbs 31:10-31. What stands out most to you about this noble wife? What traits do you want to implement into your own role as a wife? Share with your hubby what your desires are as a wife and what you want to provide for him. In turn, what does he want to provide for you? As a husband, what are his goals?
Ephesians 5:22-33 offers wonderful insight on what God calls us to do in these special positions of husband and wife. It's a beautiful portrait of how our marriages should reflect Christ and His love for the church.
