Welcome friends! FACETS of Faith is delighted you could join us as we explore this woman of God thing. How does one do it when the world tugs this way and that? Tune in each week in May as we explore what it means to be a woman of God. We pray you’ll be blessed with freedom to explore who you are in Christ as you journey along with us.
Don’t worry! I’m not going to break out the Proverbs 31 woman on you. We women (or at least this woman) already feel enough pressure to perform, to get it right, or just plain ole get it together.
Maybe we’re in a wrestling match with God. Maybe we’re wrapped up in a scratchy, wooly blanket called worry. Maybe we wouldn’t want people to see what’s hiding in our closet, crumpled on the floor. Heck, it might be us crumpled on the floor! Maybe just maybe things are unravelling faster than we can stitch them back together.
As a woman of God, I’ve been this woman. Not always shining. Sometimes struggling. You too? (Shhh, it’ll be our secret.)
We’re not less saved. We’re more human. Proof we need Jesus. Oh boy do we!
Even those of us who may look like we have it together (momentarily) have melt downs we wouldn’t want anyone to see. But Jesus does. He sees us in the midst of our muddy mess called life, and I believe He smiles, not because of the mess, but in spite of it. He looks at us through eyes of Love.
God doesn’t see the mud. He sees what He is making ─righteous, holy, pure, clean women of God.
We need to take the pressure off ourselves. Way, way off ourselves. We don’t have enough Clorox® wipes to clean up the muddy places in our hearts, thoughts, words, actions, inaction, and disobedience (and I could go on).
None of us is immune from needing God’s cleansing. No immunity for the pulpit. No immunity for the most pious. No immunity for the amount of pride God’s kids can possess. No immunity for you. No immunity for me.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.─John 14:26 NKJV
Ladies, we have a Helper! The Holy Spirit was sent in Jesus’ name. And our compassionate, loving Jesus wanted to make sure we would know it.
Is there something even now, woman of God, that you need His help with?
Stop. Ask the Helper. Ask Him. He is faithful.
Holy Spirit, God’s Word says you are my Helper. I need your help. Please help me with ________. I have faith enough to trust You at Your Word.
I’m reading a book about the Holy Spirit right now. He’s fine tuning my ability to hear His voice (again). I love that He’s always teaching, always transforming.
Spoiler alert. I’m going to give away the answer to the question much earlier than I normally do in a piece.
What does it mean to be a woman of God?
It means we are women willing to seek after God. He’ll always honor any effort toward that.
He’ll show us who He is, who we are to Him, who others are to Him, and what He wants from and for us.
If we seek God, we’re going to get this “woman of God thing” right after all, and overall, even if we sometimes get a thing or two wrong along the way.
Can I get an amen for grace?
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.─Matthew 6:33 NKJV
Did you catch what the Scripture said?
As we seek God’s kingdom, His kingdom shall be added to us. More of His presence. More of His purpose. More of His power. More of His peace. More of His love. More, more, more. More kingdom.
As we seek God’s kingdom, His righteousness shall be added to us. Like a dash of salt added to a recipe, little by little we grow more flavorful. We taste a bit more like Jesus each bite. Salt has purpose and so will we when we follow God’s kingdom ways.
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”─Matthew 5:13-16 NKJV
We’re not the dispenser of salt. That’s God’s job. As women of God, we just want to let Him sprinkle us wherever He needs, when He needs to. A dash of love here. A sprinkle of joy there. A pinch of compassion toward this one.
We aren’t in charge of all the world seeing the kingdom in us. God has many ambassadors across the globe to flavor the world. So much flavor sprinkled from one faithful woman of God to the next, neighborhood to neighborhood, nation to nation.
This seeking after God’s kingdom thing? What does it look like? Honestly, I think it looks a lot of different ways. God is creative. He is limitless. He has all sorts of things up His sleeve.
It’s impossible to winnow Him down to one or two ways He’d call us to be women of God, so you won’t be getting the Top 3 Things You Should Do To Be A Woman Of God in this piece.
Instead, I’m going to give you an example from my own life, because I am a woman of God. Messy. Imperfect. Sometimes sweet. Sometimes not. Woman of God covered by His grace.
One of the ways I’m seeking after God is by reading about Him. I want to partner with the Holy Spirit. I know He will honor my seeking after Him, and He will teach me. He always shows up when my heart is open to Him and what He has to say.
Women of God seek the kingdom of God.
I pondered a question posed in the book about the Holy Spirit. I didn’t move past it in a rush, presuming I knew the answer. That’s definitely a risk when we’ve been walking with the Lord and find ourselves in a sweet relationship with Him. But guess what? That’s pride to presume. Just because He said it one way once doesn’t mean He’ll say it the same way twice. Every situation and season of life calls for God’s creative hand.
Women of God can’t think because they know God that they know ALL of God.
Press pause, ladies. Don’t presume. Ask. Seek. Seek the kingdom. Seek the King!
The question was, Have you been frantically trying to change yourself? If so, how? What do you see differently now?1
Before I share my actual response, I want to share how I processed, because it might help you too. Sometimes, I’m not sure on things. I start writing what I think and while I am, I’m praying for myself. I pray that God reveals. I try to go to Him with an honest, open heart to hear. As I do, He reveals His truth, what He wants me to hear in that moment.
Often, I am surprised at where God brings me, of what He shows me. Most certainly He’s revealing Himself, His wisdom, His truth, His love, His compassion, exactly what He knows I need to hear. That looks different today than it did yesterday or what it will tomorrow.
As I processed the idea of frantic changing of myself, I wrote…
I don’t think so now. (Which is what I thought the answer was, only to be led to this…) Other than I think I try too hard, fearful I’ll disappoint God somehow. Like maybe He won’t see me as His good girl. (Woah!) Then, I heard the song lyric “You don’t have to try so hard” and it made me emotional.
God revealed the underlying emotion in all of the above is rooted in fear. Fear of not being good enough, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of abandonment. There’s probably more than that, but that’s what I needed to know in this season.
Well now, this woman of God will continue her journey to glean from what God is showing.
Women of God seek the will of God. His will is to make us into His image, which is healthy, courageous, and whole.
God’s will is always a kingdom thing. He gives us free will, but He invites us to follow His.
I want to leave you with a bit of freedom here, because God gave me a good salty dose of it in all of this.
Here’s an excerpt from the book, “Don’t give into thinking, I should be more spiritually mature. It’s not true. It only makes you feel more condemned and drains you of spiritual strength. Pause and pray, ‘Holy Spirit, how do You see where I am right now (my level of spiritual maturity?” What is He saying to you?”1
Here’s what He said to me, When you slow down, you hear Me. Be careful to observe the rhythms of rest and pacing, not performing. I don’t need you to perform. Pray and seek My face.
Isn’t that beautiful? (And reassuring)
Please, please, go back up and read the excerpt from the book. Process the question for yourself. What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?
Don’t read past it. Allow Him the quiet space to answer you.
If you’d like to share what He told you, we’d be honored to hear. I’m praying you hear His voice, maybe even for the first time. And because we can never hear it enough, I pray for those of you who have heard God’s voice that you hear it even more.
God sees what He is making ─righteous, holy, pure, clean women of God. And He sent us a Helper to do it!
Seek the kingdom. Seek the King!
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1Bevere, John. The Holy Spirit: An Introduction. Palmer Lake, CO: Messenger International, 2014.