One of my favorite verses in scripture is one that I came across recently. I had always heard the term “Proverbs 31 Woman, “ but I never knew exactly what that meant. The standout in the chapter comes along in verse 25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Whether you have a personal relationship with God or not, I’m sure that these words will resonate with you like they did with me.
There are times when we don’t feel strong. There are times when we sacrifice our dignity to impress someone else. There are times when we’re so fearful of the future and are petrified of the days to come. A Proverbs 31 Woman is strong, dignified, and confident. How can we as college women follow in this example?
1) Be Courageous in Times of Fear
No one feels strong 24/7, including myself. When you need to be strong but feel weak, remember that we are stronger than we seem. So go for it. Stand up to someone that’s been walking all over you. Run a few miles. Ace your test. You are strong. You can do it, and you’ll feel even stronger after doing so.
2) Don’t Diminish your Self-Worth
Since we currently live in an “anything goes” society, class and dignity seem to have been tossed out the window. If we act as though we want to be treated with respect, others will respect us back. If it makes us come across as “snobby” or “too cool for school,” who cares? The people that actually matter will know our intentions are good as dignified individuals who know their self-worth.
3) Let the Future Remain in the Future
This one is probably the hardest for me. Nothing is scarier to me than the unknown. When I think about my future, my mind goes crazy. Will I have the career I want? Will I ever meet that Godly man I’ve been praying for? Instead of asking questions, we need to have the confidence that our future has been planned out for our good, and trust that plan. Stressing about the future does nothing for our present situations.
Becoming strong, dignified, and confident is not an easy feat, but it can be done with a willingness to trust and a whole lot of faith. Let’s make 2016 the year that we strive to become a better woman, just like the one in Proverbs 31.