“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Proverbs 31:25 NLT
The Proverbs 31 woman. I’ve grown up hearing so much about this woman, idolising her, wanting to be like her, wanting to be her. I’m recognising a few things lately.
- She isn’t the only example of God dignifying a woman, and hence my continuous interest and study of His intention for women won’t stop at her. (more to come, by His grace.)
- She didn’t achieve all she did, wasn’t described with such rich language because of who she was but rather it was because of who God made her to be.
Let’s deconstruct a little bit, shall we?
She is clothed with strength
Recently, I have felt God give me some next level supernatural strength. Whenever I feel like giving up or feel as though I cannot do something, he’s surprised me with how he infuses my body, my mind with strength and proves to me that in my weakness, he is made strong. Last week, while trying to find the strength to finish off a challenging module, I was shocked and honoured to hear from my teammates that I possessed a different level of productivity. They all shared about my stamina, with one of them claiming I work like a robot. LOL. To a certain extent, I know I pressure myself to be perfect. I know I demand a bit too much of myself but even where I have the highest expectations of myself, God shows me that He wants more for me. He shows me how he clothes me and wraps me in his strength – which doesn’t keep going until it burns out but is consistently renewed; a healthy version of whatever I try to do myself. I am so much stronger than I think I am and it’s so beautiful to witness that the Proverbs 31 woman was as well – and it wasn’t because of anything she did, or anything I do but it was because of the work of God within her. He clothes us with strength, he empowers us to do all that which pleases Him. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. I am nothing. But with Him, I begin to look more and more like the woman I know He wants me to be. A strong woman whose source of strength is found in her choice to surrender to the Almighty – in every single aspect of her life.
She is clothed with dignity
I remember listening to an incredible sermon shared by Helen from the Wellspring Church, Watford. She was speaking on the powerful notion that God ‘dignifies’ us. Do you know what that actually means? I know I didn’t until a few minutes ago. The wordy ‘dignity’ means:
/ˈdɪɡnɪti/ the state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect.
Therefore to ‘dignify’ is the action of making something worthy of honour or respect. Bruh. I can’t lie, I think it’s clear from the tone of this entire website that over the years I have truly struggled to see myself as ‘worthy.’ I struggle to believe that I should be honoured and respected. But my Lord and Saviour never fails to remind me that He quite literally clothes me with dignity. Helen spoke about how he cloaks us with it and it gives me goosebumps because the visual that comes to me is the coronation of any dignitary. If you’ve ever watched ‘The King’ on Netflix, I feel this is a perfect reference because they showcased the process at which a King becomes a ‘King’. From the baptism, to the cloaking of a robe that looks so damn heavy, to the fixing of the crown on his head. All of this depicted, the gravity of the role he was taking.
I feel it’s the same when God decides it’s time to refine His child, it’s time to sanctify them and set them apart. ‘It’s time to let them know how much I love them and how much they are worthy of being loved because I have selected them. I have purified them. I have chosen them. I have pursued them.’
I feel God is breaking down every single thought that told me I am not good enough.
Every single lie that whispers I am not deserving of great things. By this one act, he reminds me that He will never let me go and He sees me, He hears me, He deems me worthy of honour and respect. So who am I not to see that within myself? Who am I to not treat myself with a certain level of respect?
And she laughs
She’s no longer bound by those thoughts. She’s no longer going to let them ridicule her. She laughs at the hilarity of those thoughts and feelings. She laughs because he’s replaced her mourning with joy. She laughs because he’s anointed her head with oil, her cup runs over. She laughs because she’s redeemed. She laughs because she no longer has to take control, she’s now chilling in the backseat, watching Jesus so graciously take the wheel. She laughs because the devil is such a liar. She laughs because life is a gift – one to be enjoyed. She laughs because there is no fear in perfect love. She laughs because Jesus is her source and the reason why she smiles. Why she’s genuinely happy. Why her heart is glad. Why she walks with a spring in her step. Why she no longer has to pretend or perform. Why she is confident. Why she can extend His grace to others. She laughs.
Without fear of the future
She laughs because the future doesn’t bring fear or anxiety anymore. She’s aware He holds her future in His hands. She laughs because her future is bright and certified. By trusting in Him and proceeding to obey His word, she has nothing to be worried about. By choosing to see life through His eyes, to have restored vision and a creative sense of imagination, she knows that He will bring to pass all that needs to be done in her life. She knows that she doesn’t have to stress. She knows He will make it practical for her. She knows she doesn’t need those self-help books, she just needs the one book – filled with wisdom and stories and power. She knows she doesn’t need to be confused or walk another’s walk. She knows she has been given confidence and can be inspired by how they talk. She knows her future is secure. She knows great things are in store. She knows even when she can’t see His plans, they are for her good and never for evil. She knows He’s given her a hope and a future. She knows she can be fed by this hope and the splendour of His sheer being, she can bask in His great love for her because He gave her breath to breathe in the first place and furthermore, gave her eyes to see the vision He created. The plans He reinstated, the blueprint he made and He’s elated. Because Her future is so specific and she doesn’t have to worry. She laughs without fear of the future.
“She is clothed with strength & dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Proversb 31:25 NLT
♡ Dream with God. Speak to God. Be Weak with God. Be Restored by God. Be One with God.
#SOUNDOFJERICHO
I’ve had specific songs be the lyrics to my life at various points. In the past it’s been:
‘Anchor’, Hillsong:
And this hope is an anchor for my soul Our God will stand unshakable Your word unfailing Your promise unshaken All my hope is in You
‘King of My Heart’, Bethel Music
You're never gonna let You're never gonna let me down
And now, it’s ‘Promises’, Maverick City Music
I put my faith in Jesus My anchor to the ground My hope and firm foundation He’ll never let me down
This song.
T👏🏾H👏🏾 I👏🏾 S S👏🏾O👏🏾N👏🏾G.
It quite literally baffles me because not only is it just a beautiful song to listen to in terms of its composition but it incorporates elements of both of the songs that impacted me in the past (as listed above). It’s my favourite worship song right now, because it speaks to my soul and is a reminder of the promise I hold onto for the year 2020.
So I pray this song blesses you as it has blessed me. I pray you are reminded that there is a God who is relentless in His pursuit of you, who is gracious and kind and loving, who is faithful and will never ever, ever let you down.
Be blessed as you listen:
Sending peace & love,
LET'S BE FRANK 