Becoming a Wise Woman – Part 2

A wise woman recognizes her need for Jesus.

This is first and foremost vitally important, because I simply can do nothing on my own. I cannot save myself through good behavior or good deeds. In fact, I can’t even do the “good deeds” without Christ. I have been down that road more times then I care to count. You know, trying to be all that I can be, through me. Not gonna happen. Ever.

Before I set off to walk in the ways of a wise woman, I need to know where my source of strength lies and what my purpose is. Is my purpose to glorify God or glorify myself?

What I find myself running into when I strive, is that I often forget at some point I will fail. I will fail to live up to my own standards, or even God’s standards, as laid out in Scripture.  I don’t want to live as a wise woman to have some kind of recognition or feel better about myself. I want to live as a wise woman because God wants the best for me and because there is a wonderful sense of fulfillment when I find myself in God’s will.

My failures point me to Jesus and they help me remember my need for Him. If my failures do nothing else good, I pray they keep me running to Jesus. But I want more than simply a “fail and run” relationship with Christ.

I want to recognize that my striving shouldn’t begin with works, but with Christ. I need to strive for Him first; the works will take care of themselves. They will happen a bit more naturally rather than feeling like I’m fighting an uphill battle. It seems so simple doesn’t it? Yet, I forget that my life is not built upon what I can do, but what Christ has already done.

This should empower me to act. A life filled with works, yet empty of Christ, is empty. But a life filled with Christ naturally overflows in His good work because love takes the lead, not self.

A wise woman recognizes that only Christ can transform her heart. It is not something she can do through willpower or habit. He can choose to change a heart immediately or through long-suffering. I simply need to seek Him, fully and wholly.

 If I live my life chasing after doing everything right and fail to cultivate a relationship with Christ, I’ve wasted it.