Fiercely Beautiful

I absolutely love the excerpt I am going to share at the end of this devotional post! ❤️ It’s beautiful and inspiring! As stubborn and strong willed women, we can argue all day long that we’d be more respectful, loving and kind toward men in our lives if they were more ___________ (fill in the blank). However, it never ever solves anything. God calls all of us to be respectful and loving towards others...no matter what! He didn’t say, treat him respectfully only when he does this or that or doesn’t do this or that. He just said do it. And that’s not easy sometimes and it doesn’t seem to make sense at times. However, we must remember God knows relationships and ourselves way better than we do. So as a woman of God, do you trust Him enough to do what He says even when it doesn’t make sense? Most of us women have a longing to be adored and treasured. However, if we would take a step back and take a look at how we act or treat our husbands or other men in our lives and ask ourselves ”how “adoring” do I really appear?” We also long to be protected but when the men in our lives are too busy protecting themselves from our sharp cutting words, shaking of the head or rolling of the eyes...they don’t feel much like protecting us. Especially, when they feel attacked. God knows best...trust Him (God). “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” 1 Peter 3:4 Even if, at this point in your marriage, you don’t care if your husband thinks your precious, this scripture hopefully reminds you that everything we do, should be done ultimately for God. And, I for one, not only want to be seen as precious in Gods eyes but my husbands eyes as well. It’s also important to remember these two things: one, your husband is not the enemy, Satan is. Don’t assist Satan in tearing down your husband. Fight Satan on behalf of your husband. Two, you can only transform from the inside out through time with God and in His Word. He transforms you through His power not ours. Pray for God to give you a strong yet tender heart. Here’s a good scripture we can pray over ourselves today...or daily. “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” Ezekiel 36:26 That is what it means to pray for something according to God’s will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 Here’s the excerpt... “I believe a fierce heart resides within every woman, but it manifests itself in varying shades of beauty and ugliness. Oh, I’ve seen (um, even at times been) the fierce woman who is the self-centered shrew, ranting and shrieking to get her way. But in contrast to her, the fierce woman may also be the quiet but courageous martyr who is willing to die for her faith. Whether you’re an extrovert or more introverted—women are a compelling force. You may not see yourself as beautifully fierce or even slightly strong, but what if God has placed a powerful fierceness within you, within every woman? And what if this fierce power was meant to be used in a way that is big … I mean really big, like staggering the imagination big! What if woman was designed to be a living inspiration? Like a song that rallies men before battle or a vision that compels them to embark on the most dangerous of conquests. This power and drive enables a woman to persevere through daunting challenges. It gives her the grit and determination to continue pressing onward in the face of tremendous opposition. I love this verse in Daniel “that underscores this thought: “The people who know their God will display strength and take action” (Daniel 11:32 NASB).” Excerpt From Fierce Women Kimberly Wagner