Have you ever thought about the woman that God wants you to be?
As I was praying and fasting one day God began to reveal to me the importance of this. I was thinking about all the things that I needed to achieve before the year ended, and heard Gods still voice ask me “but are you the woman that I want you to be.” Talk about conviction. This led me to begin to research some of the characteristics of Godly women.
In the midst of distractions and being occupied with life, many women including myself forget.
I believe that cultivating these characteristics will help other Christian Woman also:
1. A woman who seeks God first.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
~ Matthew 6:33 ~
A Godly woman seeks God before anything else. We live in a world where there are many distractions, however when we realise that only God can satisfy us, everything else will fall into place.
Anna was a woman in the Bible who sought God first. She devoted herself to continual service in the temple. Her lifestyle of praying and fasting was where God could use her. This caused her to speak about Jesus, to those who were seeking salvation (Luke 2:38).
2. A woman who is humble.
Humility is defined in the Oxford dictionary as the quality of having a modest or low view of one’s importance.
When I look at a woman who was humble in the bible I think of Joanna. Joanna shows the perfect illustration of humility. Luke 8:2 says that Joanna is one of the women who Jesus healed of evil spirits and infirmities. She is also described to be the wife of Chuza who is king Herods steward. It is likely that he would have earned a good salary meaning that Joanna would have had a comfortable lifestyle, however we see in the Bible that she sacrificed this to follow Jesus. She is mentioned as one of the women in Luke 24:10 that came to the tomb following Jesus’ death and returned to the eleven disciples, telling them that Jesus had risen.
It is important to be humble as this is where we will find Gods Grace (James 4:6).
3. A woman who is Modest.
As women we want to look good, have the right make up, weave and keep up with the latest dress trends.
The Bible emphasises that women should be more concerned about the beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit rather than their outward appearance.
“Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
~ 1 Peter 3:3-4 ~
A woman who is modest is not only modest in the way that she dresses but also modest in her character. First and foremost she fears God.
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
~ Proverbs 31:30 ~
The Proverbs 31 Woman was a woman who feared God as opposed to being so concerned with what she looked like. The Bible says that this kind of woman is to be praised.
4. A woman who is Hospitable and serves others.
Lydia was a woman in the Bible who was not only hospitable but also served others. She was described to have invited Paul and Silas to stay in her home (Acts 16:15) and her house became the meeting place of the first European church.
Lydia demonstrated that she had a servants heart, that even when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison Lydia visited them and attended to their needs.
Having a servants heart is described as one of the greatest things God desires of Godly women. We can use this attribute to bring many others to Christ.
5. A woman who is submissive.
Women are called to be submissive whether we like it or not.
To submit means to accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person.
Submission goes beyond wives submitting to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-33). Even if you are single you can submit to those who have authority over you such as spiritual leaders, the Government and Managers at your place of work.
Mary of Nazareth gives the perfect illustration of submission in Luke 1 where she receives the news that she would be carrying the Messiah. Although this must of been overwhelming she submitted to this assignment and the Bible goes on to say that she praised (Luke 1:46-55). Not only was Mary a virgin and would have suffered shame as she was not yet married. Imagine she also had to submit to her own son. She then became a devoted follower of Jesus.
6. A woman who is able to exercise self-control.
To be able to exercise self-control is crucial to our walk and one of the fruits of the spirit.
Why is self-control so important?
“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.”
~ Proverbs 25:28 ~
Without self control we are vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.
Abigail was married to Nabal (his name means foolish) and the Bible describes him as harsh and evil (1 Samuel 25:3). Many of us, if married to Nabal first reaction would be to cuss him out and tell him about himself, however Abigail was able to control her tongue and was also careful with her words. She was also wise enough to find the right timing to address the issue.
7. A woman who is kind.
An example of a woman of kindness in the Bible is Ruth. Ruth showed Naomi a great amount of love and kindness. These were the words of Ruth:
“But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.””
~ Ruth 1:16-17~
Ruth did all this knowing that she would be poor and an outcast in an unfamiliar place, however it was the love and kindness that she showed to Naomi that made Boaz show favour towards her.
A woman of God should be kind not only in in the way that she treats others but also in the way that she speaks to others.
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.”
~ Proverbs 31:26 ~
Being kind is easier said than done, however the Bible illustrates how we can clothe ourselves with kindness (Colossians 3:12).
8. A woman who studies the word of God.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ~
To be a woman of God we need to study the word of God, not only for knowledge and self-education, but also to share the Gospel with others.
Priscilla was a woman who clearly studied the word of God. She is described in Acts 18:26 to take Apollos aside and explain to him the word of God More accurately (Acts 18:26).
9. A woman who is prayerful.
A woman of God is disciplined in spending time with God and makes prayer a priority.
In 1 Samuel 1 we read about Hannah. Hannah’s fervent prayer teaches us that persistent prayer get God’s attention and He hears from us. She believed God for a son and He answered her prayers by multiplying her faith by giving her many children.
A woman with the above traits is priceless and she is worth more than rubies. Is there anything thing else I’ve mentioned that you feel make a Godly Woman. Leave your comments below and I look forward to hearing from you.
Stay Blessed and Encouraged
Nkay xxx
P.s I will be writing a blog post on discontent within the next few weeks so stay tuned.
