‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭13‬ ‭

Imagine going to the market to buy provisions for your family to clothe them with. When you get there, however, there is no selection of garments hanging on racks or folded in bins. There is not even cloth to cut and sew. Instead, you are picking out wool and flax. 

Wool and flax are raw materials. They require multiple, labor intensive steps to produce usable products from. Flax is used to make breathable, lightweight, durable clothing and bedding. It requires using a flax break tool that breaks the outer covering,  a scutching board and knife that removes the outer covering that sticks to the inner fibers, and a hackle comb that separates the long fibers from the short, fluffy tow. Wool is used to make durable, insulating, flame resistant clothing. It requires tedious cleaning and carding steps. Once these raw materials are prepared, the wool and flax then have to be spun into thread and the thread has to be weaved into cloth. 

The Proverbs 31 woman performed all of these mundane, time consuming tasks as a labor of love. She worked with eager hands which meant she was dedicated and perhaps even enthusiastic. Her focus was on the end result and being able to provide what her family needed through the varying seasons. 

Reflection: 

1. How do you view the daily, mundane tasks that you have to perform to provide for your family’s needs?  Do you see them as labors of love or do you resent the energy and time they require of you?
2. Do you consider that all you do is to be done as to the Lord and He is with you even in the midst of tedious tasks? Do you work with eager hands?

Prayer: Father, how grateful we are that we have the ability to do the tasks required to provide for our family and their needs. Thank you for modern conveniences that we often take for granted that make our lives easier. Help us to have the motivation and the right mindset to succeed in the tasks you have entrusted us with, especially the tedious, mundane duties that we may struggle to achieve. Help us to honor and serve You with eager hands as we perform these labors of love. 

Paul wrote the book of Phillipians, thanking this church for their help and concern for him while imprisoned in Rome. He also focused on uplifting and encouraging them in their faith. In this final chapter of his letter to them, he gave them some vital keys to his own ability to have a positive mindset and strong faith even though his circumstances were far from desirable. 

He started with an attitude, a deliberate approach to his day: He told them to rejoice….not because of the circumstances but because of their focus on the Lord. And he reminded them the Lord was near. Paul knew that even though he was in chains and confined to a prison, he was not alone. God was with Him and this gave him hope, confidence and a cause to rejoice. 

He gave them an action plan “for every situation”. Instead of being anxious and feeling powerless, he urged them “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (v6)

He gave them a focus for their thoughts: “..whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (v8)

Life certainly has its ups and downs, its twists and turns, and its unexpected pitfalls. In fact, the weight of circumstances can feel like a crushing, smothering burden you can’t escape. If we let our difficult circumstances set the tone, we are doomed. But if we follow Paul’s example, we have an action plan and a focus that can set the right attitude for our day. Because of Christ, Paul could encourage us to “Rejoice”. 

Prayer: Father, this Thanksgiving week is a special time to celebrate and rejoice as we count the abundance of your blessings. But, Lord, we ask that you instill within us the strength and grace to find daily gratitude and peace. No matter our circumstances, may we be empowered by Your Spirit to rise up each morning with a heart that exclaims to the world…Rejoice! 

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ ‭

 I used to look for signs that God was there, something tangible that I could see and point to and show myself and others as proof that God had heard my prayer and He had given me clear direction. But that’s not living by faith. That’s living by sight. God doesn’t always give us a sign or that miracle we  prayed for. There’s not always a clearly marked path. And this becomes the ultimate stretching of our faith. Is God there when I can’t see Him at work, or when I can’t hear His voice, or I don’t get that sign, or life seems messy and doesn’t make sense? How do I take that next step when I am not sure? That can be a place where doubts and fears want to unsettle us and distract us. But it’s ok if we are battling doubts and fears. We don’t have to have all of the answers or a deep understanding. We just have to have a relationship with the One who does. We have to cling to the truths of His Word -“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ ‭

How grateful I am for His Word. It is the map for my life and the Holy Spirit is my experienced guide. My duty is not to have full knowledge of the journey but to trust that God desires for me to move forward. Faith is an action. If my heart wants to move closer to God and spiritual maturity, then that becomes my destination. I have to surrender my ideas of what that journey should look like and trust Him. 

”Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It's simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step." - Joni Erickson Tada

Prayer: May God grant you the courage and strength to be willing to take the next step, and the next, and the next. Praise be to God who promises to guide us and never leave us alone. “I can feel His hand in mine, that’s all I need to know.”