Thank you for the kind words. That is my intention.
I appreciate your honesty. Oftentimes I gain greater insight on my behavior from your sex than my own.
In an ontological hierarchy, it is an intrinsic design feature. Man is made for God, and the woman is made for God by being made for the man, to help him image God and thus glorify Him. As such, women will ironically learn more about godly femininity from the masculine man (or women submitted to their men in accordance with Titus 2:3-5), just as men will learn proper spiritual direction and leadership from God rather than other man (unless of course they are learning it from other men submitted to God who know the Word).
Women seek harmony and a like-minded spirit. Having others who agree with their sentiments is important to most. Difference can be challenging. There is often a want to bring the person around to their way of thinking or assumption our gender means we share similarities in feeling and belief.
I have noticed this. This is really the paradox of humanity to God and femininity to men. When submission is lacking, human and feminine qualities become corrupted and manifest ugliness, ignorance, impotence and pride. It is not good for anything. However, when submitted, becomes exceedingly noble, wise and beautiful of traits and is useful for every good thing. Thus, the same kind of person can operate both as a crown of glory and decay in the bones (Proverbs 12:4).
In this context, the feminine qualities of seeking social cohesion can be extremely foolish, destructive (especially spiritually) and self-serving. However, when this quality is used in a surrendered woman, it will be conducive to peace, wisdom and God-honouring relationship
as God defines these qualities in the Scripture (and important qualifier since many are wise in their own eyes and always proclaim their own goodness, even when the Scripture is explicitly against their actions).
So it is either a source of foolishness, or wisdom, weakness or strength, and ugliness or beauty. It is up to the woman to decide whether she is going to please God with her femininity or follow after the first lie of Satan that she can direct her own self.
I am not a conformist or a people pleaser. If the Lord tells me right and everyone says left; I’m heading in His direction. My self-esteem and worth come from God. I must be in the company of others who are secure in their person aren’t desirous of ‘yes’ men. I can’t fill that role.
This, when done truly, is a recipe for unrelenting victory (Romans 8:33-39), tearing down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4-5), and having a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:4-7).
I think a lot of this hails from an absence of respect and over validation of strength. The need to be seen this way or that usually distorts the mind and makes us over compensate. And its all in vain.
No man has ever praised my strength. They’ve praised my beauty, submission, poise, manners, skills, and intellect. Most of the things men value are the very ones we ignore. But I know better and continually invest in my improvement for the sake of his benefit.
I can relate. That is, to being impressed by submission and wisdom rather than strength. And I have to beat the horse that never dies on this. This always come back to the mystery of Christ and the church, and what male and female was created as a distinction for. These is a reason that normally functioning, unpolluted women admire strength and largeness and why normally functioning, unpolluted men admire beauty and weakness (of a sort). Why is that?
Because man says to God "But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress." (Psalms 59:16) And "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10)
But to man God says "His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love." (Psalms 147:10-11)
We always have to come back to representation and headship to have insight into why men and women perceive and function the way they do, and the ways they
ought to function and perceive. To stray from this is not wise.
I am a lookingglass. I reflect more about him to the world than another would. It is my conviction that reflection will add to his person; not detract.
Every investment I make on his behalf is a blessing for both. My reward is plentiful. And the pride he reveals in his countenance or speech on my regard is payment in full.
I am his lady in every sense of the word. I don’t embrace connections that will compromise its presence. I have met others like myself in the past and trust the Lord will bring me faithful companions whose example and iron are beneficial as is mine.
Entirely contrary to culture and exactly right. A shame that what the Proverbs says is true: "An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain." (Proverbs 31:10-11)
It is difficult to sustain nobility when surrounded by foolishness. As aforementioned, I too know for women this is more so a vulnerable area due to innate desire for social cohesion. But I know in relying on God's strength, as you declare you do, it is possible. I also know from much experience that this is true: "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit." (James 5:16-18)
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (1 John 5:14)
