Strength for Her Tasks

She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. ~ Proverbs 31:17

At first glance, the Proverbs 31 woman may be intimidating and overwhelming for most women. I think the greatest thing someone told me about "her" is that the Proverbs 31 woman is not all of those things all at once, but throughout the course of her life; it's over the course of seasons that she does the different tasks listed. There are many verses that describe her, but the two that stand out to me are verse 17, "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks," and verse 26, "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Neither verse speaks about her humanity, but rather, about the Spirit living inside of her. With wisdom and faithful instruction, she speaks. That doesn't doesn't come naturally, and it can't really be learned without the help of the Holy Spirit.

All women can become a Proverbs 31 woman and be worthy of the praise that is described, but only if she has the right tools. The best way to achieve that is to ask God who gives generously. If we are to become this woman, we need to do two things: 1) Pray. Ask God to surround you and your husband with godly couples who you can learn from and give the freedom or right to speak into your lives in the areas in which you need instruction and/or encouragement. 2) Obey. Obedience is the key. We can hear all greatest instruction from both God and man, but until we follow, it won't do us any good. Verse 17 says that her arms are strong for her tasks, that is because she sets about the tasks that the Lord has called her to do, and as she obeys His call, He strengthens her.

A Proverbs 31 woman is not an example to intimidate us, but to lead us and guide us throughout the course of our lives. If there is an area in your life that you need more help from God, ask Him and He promises to fill you in that area.