She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
-Proverbs 31:25
I have been meditating on the Proverbs woman for a while.
I've been wanting to write about my reflections on her and how she inspires me for months, but waited until I felt it was the right time to share.
Well, friends, God said NOW is that time.
In prayer, He revealed to me how many women and mothers (how many people overall) are struggling right now with overwhelming anxiety, hopelessness, and fears of the future.
He also revealed to me that my hope, joy, and faith I have been feeling? Are gifts from Him. ...Gifts and rewards due to my spending so much time in the Word, seeking authentic relationship with Him.
And I was also told that if I keep this--my hope, faith, joy--to myself--that I'd miss what having a community, a ministry, is all about.
So, if you've been feeling anxiety because of all the unknowns in your life, sit back, grab a tea, and check out why I, like my hero, the Proverbs 31 woman, am laughing at the days to come. My hope is that my tips comfort you, and that you try incorporating them into your life if you aren't already.
Prioritize God
Each morning, I aim to give God my first--my thoughts, my mood, my ideas--and ask Him for guidance. I do this by meditating on His Word, sitting in quiet solitude, and letting the Holy Spirit speak to me and change me. I cannot tell you how much this alone has served me in my life, specifically in the area of making decisions. I remember having a cup of coffee with God one morning, and Him telling me to pull Eliel out of school to homeschool him. Logically, this made absolutely NO sense. I mean, I was VERY pregnant with my third baby, and was also working from home as a lifestyle coach. But the Holy Spirit speaks to the heart, not the mind. Thankfully, I was obedient. Everyone told me I was nuts for deciding to homeschool with my lifestyle, and not even a year later, news broke that Covid was here. You see, when you trust God, when people judge you, you will laugh. Why? Because God shares things with his children when they prioritize Him. Which brings me to the next point:
Care About How God Thinks of You (Not the World)
One day they like you--the next they don't. People are fickle; they change like the wind. You want to know who won't? God. He is the most stable, loving, caring "person" in my life. This is why I prioritize my relationship with Him over everyone else. But when I was younger, I was a people pleaser. I'd go out of my way to ensure they liked me; regardless of the emotional pain it caused me. Ooooh chile, but when I deepened my relationship with the Lord?...He grew me up! I no longer really care when people reject me. I know 1) God may have needed to remove them from my life or maybe 2) God was giving me tougher skin. I've just learned that as long as I'm doing my best to be obedient, repent when wrong, and live righteously, He has my (and my family's) back! And that a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised, but fearing man? ...is actually a sin. Check your motives and be clear you are doing your works first for the Kingdom; not for culture's approval.
Regularly Detox From Social Media & the News
I won't go into this in too much detail (because I've spoken about this a lot here on the blog), but if you're constantly paralyzed by fear, you may need to limit your social media usage or ask yourself if you are watching too much of the news. I learn as much as I need to learn about the current state of affairs and keep it moving as to not overload myself with sensationalism. And, I also take breaks from social sites to be (all the more) present with my children and husband. They are my first ministry.
Strengthen Your Prayer Life
Where my prayer warriors at? Seriously, the bible is clear on this: it states that we are to pray unceasingly. This means we are to meditate on God's word. To be honest, I was disheartened when I began going to church years ago because I saw such a hypocritical lifestyles: people who highlighted their bible like crazy, but were not being transformed by the word (I'm not talking about someone being perfect. We will always fall short, and that's why we rely on Jesus. I'm referring to a sharp contrast in behaviors here with no accountability). When we pray with a sincere heart, it's inevitable; you CAN expect to hear from God. Thing is; do you really want to hear what He has to say? If you do, are you willing to be obedient? You can expect clear guidance to come as a reward from a strong prayer life which definitely helps replaces fear with faith.
Repent & Forgive
If you're lacking peace, it may be because you are holding on to pain from your past. Do you need to forgive yourself for past mistakes? Do you need to forgive others who've wronged you? If you're human, chances are; both are true. Most importantly, however--have you repented for what God has revealed about your wrongdoings? God rarely talks to us about others need to change when we walk a sincere path with Him. He is far more interested in our salvation than condemning others. It may sting a little (okay, actually, more like break your heart), when you see some of the errors from your lifestyle, but the Good News is that you will have more peace if you are sincere. You will sleep well again. And you will be forgiven!
There you have it, friends. These are some tools I use consistently to laugh at the days to come.
Remember, when we put our priorities in order, God will give us peace. But if we're not living in accordance to His best for us, we suffer unnecessary burdens. My prayer for you and I is that we keep our eyes and hearts on what truly matters.
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Sending love and light your way!
Monica