Endurance only happens when there is a challenge, usually accompanied by some pain.
This fall I’m learning so much from cross country. I’m not the runner; I’m the mother of the runner, and as I watch and cheer, I’m observing. Last week a large group of girls gathered at the start, some shooting out fast from the line to take front positions, but they couldn’t sustain it. The winners were those who were committed to their goal, prepared to go the distance, and wise enough to set a good pace.
When was the last time God brought a painful challenge into your life as a wife? As if to work out the P31 gal’s endurance in my own heart in a fresh way, just yesterday the Lord led me to a low place. (You can read the nitty gritty here.) I wrestled between my fleshly desires and my godly ones. A hardship tempts us to cast aside the goal of godliness with excuses like, “That Proverbs 31 wife isn’t even realistic!” The pain suggests we weren’t prepared for something “that disappointing.” We might be inclined to just flop down, burst into tears, and whine out our troubles as if we can not be victorious … aka “meltdown.”
In circumstances that stretch us in life and marriage, we do our husband’s good by resisting the urge to fall apart and striving, instead, to persevere in a godly response. In times of hardship, excellence endures. A challenge involving pain gives us opportunity to do our husband “good” by contributing our endurance.
Oh, Lord, help us be women of excellence who:
- commit to the goal of godliness, staying focused on that goal when we are under life’s assault
- go the distance and embrace the extra mile it takes to be excellent
- set a pace of wisdom we can sustain in our married life
P31 isn’t just a sprinter; she is diligent all day, she makes the most of her available time, she provides what her household needs, and sets her selfishness to do what’s best for her loved ones (vv. 14-15, 18). On the cross country trail, as well as on the marriage trail, there will be women on the course who don’t take their training seriously, and it will show in their lack of victory and in the condition in which they cross the line, if they finish. It was show in their husband’s spirit, freedom, and prosperity. Is he carrying an extra load, or doing life alongside a woman of endurance?
There’s no doubt the course is hard, including challenges that promise pain. We’ll see it on the faces of those around us, and we’ll display it in our own. Marriage isn’t for those who lack commitment to the goal, readiness to go the distance, and wisdom in pacing. The teams that win are teams that endure. Let’s make our husbands glad we’re on their team!
What challenge has God allowed in your life to give you the chance to endure with your man?
Wonderful post Julie. Jeff & I are both at the starting line of a year long marathon. My prayer is that we will both with tun the race with endurance that God has set out before us. Thank you sweet friend for sharing your heart.
Run it with endurance, Mary. Jeff will be so blessed to have you strive along with him, and there’s a cloud of witnesses cheering for us to run well!
Julie ~ I loved the parallel you drew! I also loved how you said, “On the cross country tail, as well as on the marriage trail, there will be women on the course who don’t take their training seriously, and it will show in their lack of victory and in the condition in which they cross the line, if they finish.”
Taking our marriages and our roles as wives seriously makes all the difference in the world!
Julie, you are such a voice of encouragement in my life. This pursuit of holiness is so hard … and endurance is absolutely necessary. Even when it feels we are wandering in the wilderness, we can be confident that God is watchful of our every step. Learning those lessons … that’s the hard part!!
You will appreciate this “wandering” story … in the first race of the season, a young runner took a wrong turn. As we (the crowd) all watched her crushing mistake, we all shouted, “No! Wrong turn! Go the other way! Come back!!!” Other runners started to follow her, making their race so much longer and harder. It reminded me to be so thankful that God gives us a “great crowd of witnesses” to encourage us and strengthen us on our course. So thankful you’re in my crowd, friend!
I LOVE the article. I’m just so tired of hearing the Proverbs 31 woman hated, or scorned. I understand that this isn’t exactly what you’d intended, but it did hit a real nerve. Ladies…
“The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.” Psalm 45:11. If you’re doing this, you’ll start to see the Proverbs 31 woman when you look IN THE MIRROR! :)
Amanda, I just “found” your comment that had been hidden away in my email. You are so right that when we start honoring, we’ll start seeing “her” in the mirror. In our “get it quick” world, we imagine there must be “5 easy steps” to follow and see her appear … but it happens as we honor. Thanks for sharing!
Julie, I popped over and read your blog. I’m praying for you friend! It is comforting to know that God knows and cares and He is able to do so much more than we can ask or think.