I have this image of a “perfect” woman in my mind. She is much like the Proverbs 31 woman. I see her as a woman who is able to balance attention to her husband, each child, her home, her community activities, and all while making time for God. I see her handling all these things with great poise, grace and humility.
I’ve seen aspects of this “ideal” woman in many whom I admire. If only I could bottle up their different attributes and make them my own… I have a mental list of all the things I would like to change about myself. For example, it would be nice if I liked to cook, if I lost several pounds, if I put more effort into my appearance for the sake of my husband. It would be better if I spent more time reading to my children and got more work done around the home than I do.
So what is it that keeps me from becoming this “perfect” woman I imagine in my mind? I find there is an inner battle I’m constantly fighting. My desire to be better is constantly confronting fatigue, distractions, temptations and self-centeredness. Striving to be the woman I’d love to be seems to mean somehow finding more will, more energy, more time and more patience than I have right now. I’ve come to the conclusion I cannot be the woman I want to be without the One who initially planted that desire in my heart.
Does this “perfect” woman even exist? If she does, I don’t believe it is without the help of the Lord. I believe part of being “perfect” means recognizing you are simply a vessel carrying out the will of God in your life. All these achievements don’t need to be done in your own strength but by the help of the Lord. The fruits of this woman bring tremendous blessing to those around her and her reward is eternal given by God Himself.
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