As I ponder, consider and wrestle with what it really means to grow into a mature, Godly woman I find myself needing to look inward at my own heart. It seems it is always easier to point out other peoples flaws, but much more difficult to look into the mirror of my own heart and see it's flaws. If I'm going to intentionally grow and mature into a Godly woman then I'm also going to need to intentionally look at myself and see my heart for what it truly is. A flawed, sinful, needy heart which desperately needs Gods redemption and grace. So if I need God's grace and redemption, then so do others... and if I want grace from others, then I need to offer grace to them as well.
Justice giving to others what they deserve.
Mercy not giving to others what they deserve.
Grace giving to others what they don't deserve.
You don't need to spend hours interacting with people to know that people's quirks and idiosyncrasies can be just down-right irritating some days. However, the Bible makes if very clear that we are NOT to love, care and encourage only those we find enjoyable to be with. We are to love EVERYONE.
So what does this have to do with growing into a mature, Godly woman? Well, I think it means each time we walk into the wall of frustration, hurt, disappointment, betrayal, and loss we need to chose to turn into the arms of our Heavenly Father and take all we feel to Him. Even if that means in the midst of our tears and longing for the situation to be different, we "cast our cares on Him" (1 Pet. 5:7) and ask the Lord to help us become the mature, Godly woman HE wants us to be. "...preferring one another in the Lord" (Rom 12:10).
Repeatedly in the Bible we read about being obedient to God's word and living in a way that pleases the Lord. We need to put into practice what we read and look at the situations and opportunities we find ourselves in and intentionally be more like Jesus. Love when others don't deserve to be loved, forgive when it shouldn't be forgivable, care when no one else does.
[Don't hear me say easy... but let me remind you Paul was in chains in a prison when he wrote, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation (Phil 4:12). If Paul can learn to be content, then so can we... with the Lord's strength!]
So let me "encourage(d) you, and urge(d) you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory." (1 Thess. 2: 12) And "Finally, dear (brothers and) sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more." (1 Thess 4:1)
Would you determine with me to make choices as we encounter situations to do what Jesus would do (and if you're not sure what that is to dig deep and find out), and to become the woman God created you to be? Because those ahead of us and those behind us on the journey need us to be who God created us to be!
"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Heb. 10:24)
Jo-Ann
P.S. I just finished reading the book of 1 Thessalonians... It didn't take long and what a great encouragement to keep moving forward! Click here - it will only take a few minutes!
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