Worth More Than RubiesSample

A WOMAN OF PATIENCE

It’s easy to look at the Proverbs 31 woman and think she’s always had it together and that she doesn’t know struggle, pain, or anxiety. I’m almost positive she does. Still, she’s been able to grow the life we read about because she’s grown to that point. She didn’t just magically arrive there, and neither will you.

As you build a life and home, it’s important to know it takes time and patience. It will not happen overnight. One of the greatest enemies of building a life of legacy and honor to God is rushing and haste. There is no shortcut. Just like a garden, you will need to nurture your life. We must have the wisdom to know that growth takes time and the faith to let it.

Are you willing to invest time into growing your relationships, or are you distracted with busy work because it’s easier than making the emotional investment to ensure your relationships don’t just survive but thrive? Are you willing to wait on God’s timing to ensure you receive His best or are you in a rush to receive just any and everything? The reason why some women haven’t built lives they love isn’t that they are not willing to work for it; it’s because they aren’t willing to wait for it.

What we put in is what we get out. When we take the time to build our lives and homes with patience, we build something that will last and not just something that looks good temporarily. I know you don’t want a life that only looks good on Instagram, but one you can enjoy living and sharing with those you love and serve. That type of life takes patience and is well worth the wait.

Waiting is many times what that growth will take. When we plant a garden, we water it, make sure the soil is nutrient, and the plants have access to the sun, but we don’t tend the garden every season. Yes, there is work, but there is also waiting. There must be a healthy balance. The same is true in our lives. We put in the work to make sure we have what we need to flourish, but there comes a time when we have to sit back and let God do what only He can do. 1 Corinthians 3:7 says:

“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:7 ESV)

Once we’ve done our part, there comes a time where we have to wait for God to do His. We must surrender control, rest, and let God do what only He can. This is where patience comes in, and we have to trust that just because we aren’t working doesn’t mean God isn’t.