Woman-Strength - Part 2

"You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman." (I Peter 3:7 NASB)

The previous post, based on the verse above, presented two ideas. First, women are weak in comparison with men; woman-strength is not sufficient for every demand. Second, crying is a natural and appropriate indication that the limits of woman-strength have been reached.

While women certainly have value, and while individual women vary in their strengths, women are generally weaker when it comes to physical tasks, decision-making, strong emotion, and intense pressure. Knowing the weakness of women, God has made provision for situations that are too big for woman-strength.

First, God has made an ideological provision. He has established men, who are stronger, in roles designed to support women; for a young lady that is her father, for a married lady it is her husband, and for a widow it is her son. These men are to love, cherish, protect, defend, comfort, and guide. They are to lead, make decisions, and manage life. Not surprisingly, these man-tasks correspond to the areas in which women tend to be weak.

When a woman reaches her limitations, she should depend on her husband (or other leader), allowing him to follow God's intended plan. Granted, a woman should not expect more of her husband than he can do, but acknowledging that God has established him in this role helps to support the woman's weakness and allows the husband to act in the way he is designed.

Second, God has given a practical answer. Husbands (or fathers or sons) cannot be the complete answer, because they also are human and sometimes fail. Additionally, there are women who lack a male leader. They might be single, widowed, or divorced, or they may have a husband who is incapacitated, alienated, or frequently away. God has also provided a place for these woman to turn when they realize that their woman-strength is overwhelmed.

The Bible reveals that God established family - fathers, sons, nephews - for this purpose. The primary responsibility rests on them. The Bible also reveals that when a woman does not have the resource of family, the church is to be her family. The church has a responsibility to lovingly care for the needy and helpless. While there are things that a husband would provide that a church member cannot provide or cannot meet as effectively, there are many needs that the church can and should meet for the solitary.

To provide balance, the woman should also love and consider the needs of her church. Whenever possible, she should take proper individual responsibility. She should make adjustments so that she does not push her limits too far; perhaps she may need to tackle a difficult task gradually, make do with a partial solution, or pay someone to do something for her. She should not unnecessarily place demands or excessively ask for help, but if she really needs help, by God's plan, she ought to be able to ask for it and receive it from the church.

Third, God has given spiritual provision. Ultimately, every woman must find her strength in God. This dependence is most frustrating in regard to physical tasks. God can't come and shovel snow, make a business decision, or give a hug. Because humans don't fully appreciate how God can work, it is easy to think that God doesn't provide in these practical situations. God, however, can prompt someone to shovel snow, or He can give surprising physical strength. He can give wisdom for the business decision, and He can powerfully surround with His love. God says He will meet every need, and He does.

God is also powerfully able to meet emotional needs when woman-strength breaks down. Every woman can recall times of weakness that were not adequately met by her husband or church. Even in the best marriages, man will fail or there will be things beyond his strength, but God is not limited, and He will never fail. When life becomes overwhelming, a woman at her deepest level must go to God, the only adequate source of strength. God loves, He is compassionate, He cares for the broken-hearted, and He heals their wounds. God gives comfort and restores the soul. God never forsakes His own. The woman must cry out to Him, talk to Him, and tell Him her burdens. She must rest in His care, submitting to His plan, yielding to His arrangement of her life, and trusting that He can thoroughly care for her. 

God provides hope and encouragement through the Bible, which reveals a God who is big enough for every challenge, loving enough to care in every situation, and wise enough to always do the right thing. God is the answer. He is a strong tower. He is omnipotent. A woman in trouble must seek God's Word and study the Bible to know God more. She must remind herself of His promises and character, and must focus on appropriate truth. Quality (and sometimes quantity) time in the Word can refresh the spirit so dramatically that even the practical challenges of life seem to be alleviated.

When a woman is alone in life, there will sometimes be situations in which things don't work out just right. While the life of a solitary woman will not be perfectly smooth, she has an all-sufficient God who can meet her in every situation and who can meet her every need. Woman-strength is very limited, but God's strength has no limits.

"He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:29-31 (NASB)