As women, of all ages, all faiths, of all shapes and sizes, we struggle. We struggle with hearing lies, and believing them. We want nothing more than to be humble, to be at rest with what God has for us, with whatever is in our path to mould us and refine us. But, we fall short, really short – or we think so.
“Humility is perfect quietness of heart, It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.” – Andrew Murray
Does it ever get easier? This is my question as I sit to write this blog. This blog promises to be real and in depth about our struggle, as women, and how we listen to the words of Satan and his lies. Who doesn’t have that small, still voice shrieking lies at us from time to time? It sure doesn’t seem small. When I hear those lies, they are loud, they are boisterous, and they are intimidating.
How loud are they? Loud enough to shake my world. Loud enough to drown out all sanity and everything that makes sense. Loud enough to make me question my very being and what God has called me to be. I pray, I read the Word, I surround myself with other believers – so why? Why is this voice so loud? I have to cling to this verse in 1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
Boisterous lies. Boisterous can mean wild or stormy. That is how the lies make my soul feel. Untamed, undisciplined, unguarded. We try to live diligently, purposefully and mindfully, but yet we get wildly thrown into doubt over and over again. Is this true for other mothers? Other women? I wonder. 1 in 3 women are abused in our culture. I wonder what the percentage is of women who hear & listen to Satan’s lies? Still, I choose to be boisterous for the LORD, I choose to see the author of boisterous living in the light. I find my comfort from this evil one’s dark boisterousness in John Piper’s quote as he states:
“Fight for us, O God, that we not drift numb and blind and foolish into vain and empty excitements. Life is too short, too precious, too painful to waste on worldly bubbles that burst. Heaven is too great, hell is too horrible, eternity is too long that we should putter around on the porch of eternity.” ― John Piper
I am nothing. I am small, insignificant. But that is a good thing. We want God to be glorified in all we do and say. But, Satan’s lies are intimidating nonetheless. Why? Because we aren’t in the Word enough? Because we loose sight of our main goal or calling? I believe it could be because we are human, and cannot grasp the magnitude of God’s love for us – and how that (His love) is enough. Enough to make us confident, strong, and courageous. I choose to meditate on those attributes that God has given me. Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” I like how this is to the point and simple enough to understand. Most of what God requires of us is simple. At least more simple than we choose to make it.
I want you all to know that all the years of listening to lies will add up. You might start believing the lies. You might dwell in them. I am here, as I wallow in listening to them myself, to encourage you to not listen, not dwell, and not be intimated.
“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face…we must do that which we think we cannot.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
We have to put a stop to it, each day, each moment we walk in God’s will. We think we are defeated here, but we are not. Let’s read this quote again, in a new light, with God’s light penetrating our hearts and minds:
“Humility is perfect quietness of heart, It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.” – Andrew Murray
I am guilty of the opposite of humility. I want to be humble. Truly and completely. Let us pray for one another in this struggle, this journey as women. Let us say together, “Satan get behind me!” and then walk in faith and trust it to be so! Let’s lean on TRUTH which only comes from God.
