Time to Get Out the Weights!
Just Checking Out My Wardrobe!
Yesterday, I was with a dear friend who was simply worn out from life and all that it entails. You know….family health issues, responsibilities of being a homemaker and caregiver, having to make some very serious decisions that could mean a positive or negative outcome, as well as those questions that come from others “How do I do this? How do I tell them that?” And then being expected to have the answers to it all.
Asking God for a response to try to lighten her load just a bit, I heard “Tell her these words from Proverbs 31:25….’“She is clothed with strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future!” That whole 31st chapter is notably called by many as the Proverbs 31 Woman. That gal is a tough cookie and trying to live up to her standards sure seems like a lofty goal. But her example wouldn’t be in the Bible, were it not a message God wanted to get through to us.
I heard that scripture for my friend AND me. First of all….I get that my daily clothing attire should first, and foremost, be that strength and dignity that only comes through trusting God and His Word, and that comes from spending time with Him. I told my friend “When life seems unbearable. It’s time to steal away and go to the strength BEARER and strength GiVER.
God has given us a strength all our own. But what kind of strength is it? Does the fact that we can make dinner, talk on a phone call, put a bandaid on a boo boo, be a nurse, counselor, accountant and can even change dirty diapers, with one hand – ALL at the same time — mean we are Wonder Women? Of course not!
Our strength and power doesn’t not come from how much we can accomplish in one day. It flows out of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Jesus taught that same truth to Martha over 2,000 years ago. But it is just as true today. Martha was in the heat of preparing a gourmet dinner for the Guest of Honor, our Lord. As she hustled around to get it all done with her culinary best, she became frustrated that her sister, Mary, was just hanging out with Jesus instead of helping her.
When Martha questioned Jesus about it, she didn’t get the response she anticipated. He said, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it.” (Luke 10:41,42).
How often do we get all flustered by the have to’s, must do’s and are loaded up to the point of exhaustion? How often do we get so busy running around doing things FOR God, that we forget to spend time WITH God?
Just prior to the “She is clothed with strength and dignity” verse I mentioned above, was verse 17 that says “She girds herself with strength (spiritual, mental and even physical fitness for her God-given tasks).” The oftentimes-overwhelming-tasks that face us could be handled so much better if we would spend more time girding ourselves up spiritually while sitting at His feet like Mary, spending time in His Word AND laughing in the face of the enemy because we are assured that He holds our tomorrows. So taking the advice I gave my friend….I think it’s time for some girding up myself with strength and dignity, because when the weight seems too heavy to bear, it will be no problem – my strength AND dignity that comes because of His “work-out” program will help me not just handle it, but to laugh my way through it.