June 16: Dressed in Strength and Dignity

 Theme: Confidence in Christ

Tahshiek Francis
Kings SDA Church

Proverbs 31:25

Her clothing is Strength and honor; She shall rejoice in time.

Woman, woman, you are called woman. Not just any woman, a royal woman, a woman of

God, strength, and honour. It takes a lot these days to be a strong woman of God. Press on, my sister, you will rejoice in time to come.

I have had my share of rock bottoms in life. While at these rock bottom places, there are the back biters, the coveters, the haters who don’t know how I got to where I am today.

Then some people put you on a pedestal that you didn’t even ask to go up on…and because you are up there, they feel inferior to you and speak ill of you. It hurts, hurts bad, especially when you have not done anything intentionally to get in their way or break them. You know what situations like these have taught me, though?

  “stand for holiness,

stand for righteousness,

And be counted among them

That shall reign with Him

You stand

When friends are gone

Stand when you're all alone

And believe He shall receive His own”

Sometimes I wanted to just curse them off, but what would that do to my character, God’s character?

Sometimes I tried to fight them off, be done with it, and get them off my back, but would that honour God? No, none of these responses would! Instead, I have learned to talk to God about how I feel, find a godly friend to pray with, and receive godly advice, yes, it’s good to have this kind of friend in your life – spiritually rich friends, especially when you have temper problems.

I have learned to not say a word, yes, let them think I am weak, stupid, a fool, and whatever other manner of evil, for I know I shall rejoice in time to come. Yes, I have learned to have confidence in Jesus. I may not be rejoicing fully yet, but in time to come. While reading this, you may tell yourself that you will deal with the situation, then answer to God later. What if, when dealing with it, you never get to return to that situation to deal with God later?

It is a serious question you need to ponder. Sometimes we do things and we would never imagine the domino effect it would have, especially on our children. Daughters of Zion, walk upright, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, be strong, wear strength, wear honour! You do not know how or where to start? Trust me, Jesus doesn’t care what you have done before…no matter how far you have run or how long you have been untrue, He knows your thoughts, your heart, cry out the bitterness if words can’t come, the Holy Spirt will do the rest and in time you shall rejoice!!! Am I rejoicing today about any of my circumstances where I had to band my belly, tape up my mouth, and not say a word? Ohhhhhhh yes sister! I know there will be many more rejoicings if I wear God’s strength and honour him.

Prayer

Father God, the trials of life weigh heavily on me. It hurts to endure the suffering, the persecution, and the waiting. Yet I know You are with me, and I ask that You use this time to purify my heart. Burn away everything that is not of You, so that all that remains is what You would have me be, so that I can grow and rejoice in time to come in Jesus’ name, amen.