I have discovered that in conversations about women, the dominant characteristic that stands out is her strength. It is not her beauty, charm, humor nor organizational skills. It is her strength.
Women, especially of ethnicity (African American, Jewish, Latino); have a long ancestral line of women of strength. They have endured great hardships like separation from their husband and children, poverty, lack of education, death and disease all around them, let us not forget slavery and abuse. Most did not see any way out, however, they wanted to pave a way for their sons and daughters to come out. We are the fruit of their endurances.
The strength of women is not in their physical strength. That strength can fade. The strength of a woman comes from something greater. Something that can not fade. That something is faith. The faith in the Eternal God who is strength. It is His strength that made perfect (complete, mature) in us. The woman leans, depends solely on the strength of who God is to get her through. She understands that if He doesn’t do it, it won’t get done.
I know because Jesus did for me. I was a mother of three small children, married to a man with a serious addiction problem. He was in and out of prison most of the children’s lives leaving me to hold it together. There were days when I did not know if I would be able to feed them or how I was going to keep a roof over their heads. I can remember many days crying to the Lord for help and strength. There was even a time I wanted to die because the pain was too much.
When I took my focus off me and how I was feeling to turn my focus on the only One that can help me, my life took a tremendous turn. I went to the Word of God to study the story of Peter walking on water. This scripture gave me great comfort, Matthew 14:25-31:
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
I was reminded that in the midst of the winds and rains beating against you, if you keep your eyes on Jesus, you will not drown. Things may be tumultuous in your life, and you can’t see your way out of it but, if you keep walking towards Him on the path He has paved for you, you will come through it. Remember, Peter started to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. He was not concerned about the storm or the cries of those in the boat when he looked to Jesus for help. Even when Peter began to sink, the Lord reached down and pulled him back up.
Jesus will reach down for you too. He reached down for me when I started to sink in doubt and despair. The Lord heard my cry and rescued me. The Lord’s faithfulness taught me to not put my trust in man. Man will fail you. But put my trust in Him for He cannot fail. God’s faithfulness was, is empowering. It is the knowing that He will always come through. He will not leave you in the water to drown. You can say that confidence creates faith. And the faith creates strength. That strength builds endurance. And endurance produces great fruit.
My confidence, my faith, my strength enables me to endure those hard times with courage. Romans 4:20-21 was the verses I drew strength from.
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Now, I am living a life of fulfilled promises. I have a beautiful marriage with my husband who is now saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit. A wonderful life of ministry. My children are grown with families of their own, walking out purpose and destiny. They may not be where there should be however, they are on their way.
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