As we wrap up this year’s discussion on the Resolution for Women, we are nearly half way through the book. It has been great and interesting discussion and growth thus far. The book has challenged me in ways that I both like and dislike. It has exposed things about me that I both like and dislike. It has caused me to re-think some of my habits, ways and beliefs. This book is full of understanding and practical, applicable revelations. I often reflect on Priscilla’s statement that she wants “to experience more than God’s omnipresence. She want to feel His manifest presence. His noticeable, tangible presence.” Is that your desire? Then I’d encourage you to make the necessary changes that result in God’s noticeable presence in your life.
So before we wrap up our thoughts of our most recent chapter, let’s recap our resolutions so far. We have resolved to be content in our current season; to make the most of this season by maximizing our time in it. We are not going to rush through this season. We are going to learn from it and see the blessing in it. We have resolved to model and champion biblical femininity and reject feminist ideals and approaches in our lives. While we are blessed to be as equal as men, we are not called to be as men, and we will teach our daughters that godly femininity is still God’s perfect design for His daughters. We have resolved to celebrate our uniqueness as well as those we see and admire in others. Remember, one of the greatest blessings you can personally give another woman is your admiration and affirmation of her beauty, uniqueness and gift. We have resolved to devote the best of ourselves to the primary roles the Lord has entrusted to us, and we started by first identifying our Godly priorities and adjusting our time and talents to achieve the necessary balance.
And finally, we recently resolved to esteem others by giving the gift of our time and undivided attention to those who need it. We discussed how difficult it can be to sit and really listen attentively to others in a way that lets them know that we care about them. For some women, this comes easily. For others, it takes practice. Either way, Priscilla notes that giving the gift of your time is the greatest gift that you can give anyone. It lets them know that they are important to you. I’ve often heard people say that a person doesn’t want to hear what you have to say until they know you care. A great way to show that you care about someone is to grant them your time and undivided attention.
This thought led us another important principle of this chapter: wisdom. Priscilla defines wisdom this way: 1) knowing what to say, and 2) not saying it. Another way to say it for some of us is having something to say and not saying it. Sometimes we think we know what to say just because we have something to say. But wisdom teaches us that everything that we think to say should not be said. So we committed to Priscilla’s 2 day challenge. Would you try it? For the next two days, make a point of not saying anything that is not necessary to be said. A wise woman is slow to speak and quick to listen. Spend more time listening and then decide if a response from you is necessary and if it is, choose to give thoughtful, careful responses that are free from emotion, pride or selfishness. If it’s not necessary, don’t say it.
To the wives, I shared a helpful piece of advice that a woman once shared with me, and it is this: “For some conversations with your husband, you must wait for the Holy Spirit to schedule the meeting.” All this means is that you should wait on the Holy Spirit to provide the right atmosphere and opportunity for your Husband to receive what you have to say. And in order to do this, you must exercise wisdom and patience. Everything does not have to be said or discussed with him right now. For some things, the Holy Spirit will prompt your husband to solicit what God has given you for him. This ensures that his spirit is fertile for the seed that God wants you to plant, and as a godly wife, everything you say to your husband sows a seed. This is the gift and anointing that God has given you as your husband’s help mate. You are to be a good steward over this anointing and use it solely for God’s purpose and not your own. Always be careful in your speech towards your husband. One emotional statement can sow a seed that can take you years to uproot.
Lastly, we talked about guarding our hearts from the seeds that lead to foolish, degrading or sinful talk. As Priscilla noted, the scripture says that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). While the common cliché suggests that we should follow our hearts, the scripture suggests that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). If that’s true then why would we follow it? We shouldn’t! In the movie Fireproof, there is a quote that says, “don’t follow your heart, lead it.” We should lead our hearts by guarding it from evil seeds and influence and by depositing the Word of God into it on a regular basis. If we want to ensure godliness in our speech then we have to deposit godliness into our heart.
Until our next discussion in January, take the time to revisit all of the resolutions we’ve discussed so far. Make sure that you are walking out the principles in a way that makes a difference in your life. Begin to actively practice living a resolved life.
Have a great week!
Have a great week!
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