QUIETNESS IS STRENGTH

1 Peter 3:1-7

I just want to talk to the single woman out here in this world? The Lord sees your desires to be married, and maybe you are even saying right now, I don’t really have that desire, so how can this text apply to me at all?

First off, it is okay to not have the desire to be married because Paul says so himself, in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, “I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, since it is better to marry than to burn with desire.” Not everyone is going to be married when the Lord calls them home, some are, and they are both amazing, they both are for the purpose of drawing others to see the love of God. Do we see others choosing curiosity of our surrendered lives to Christ? That is a question we should be asking everyday, asking the Lord are we bringing you glory in the daily grind of this blimp of time? In everything we do, our goal is to bring glory to God. 

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24

Now talking to the engaged and the married woman, are we submitting to the Lord fully or just part of us, like, Lord you can have this, but not that. In my early years in marriage, my husband would load the dishwasher in a way that I didn’t like, and instead of being grateful and just letting it be, I would rearrange it, not that it’s a big deal, but it is because one, I’m choosing to not be grateful, I am choosing to make him feel bad, and I’m choosing my control, perfection to keep me from resting. How can we truly rest if we are in control? Another example, if I am truly submitting to the Lord and trusting His sovereignty and that He knew this man would be my husband, then why would I make decisions that go against what my husband believes the Lord is telling him to do. As a wife that the Lord has graciously given me the privilege to be, if my desire truly is to honor Him I should desire to do so with full confidence in the Lord , and trusting his son (my husband) to lead our family in the way that God wants to lead us.

As women as a whole, we are called to submit to God and even to each other. How can we bring glory to God if we don’t, how can the world look onto us and see division and be like but they call themselves lovers of God yet they don’t live like they do. That’s the scariest thing that I do want to walk in, I want all I pass, shrug shoulders with, make eye contact with that they would see different, hat they would see distinct, even through my kids, that when they see how we interact with one another they would see humility, because that is what surrendering to God looks like, humbling ourselves knowing that we are not in control, but He is, and that there is an order to all, and He gives us by his wisdom and desire for our life that doors to walk through. They may not always be easy to walk through but that’s why he gives us his strength and endurance because open our own we can’t honor Him, we cant be a light in this world, we can’t be a hearld of the good news. WE NEED GOD.

WE NEED GOD. WE NEED THE FATHER. WE NEED THE SON. WE NEED THE SPIRIT. THIS BLIMP ON EARTH IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT GOD, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, SO WHY DO WE CHOOSE TO DO IT ALONE?

In this scripture of 1 Peter 3:1-7 it says, “likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external — the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear – but let the adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”

How will unbelievers be won over to Christ, not by dressing to turn eyes, get likes, but by being respectful, by choosing purity, by choosing humility, choosing obedience to God and not our flesh. The world if we think about it is not living a distinct life like we see the men and women in the Bible living. Sadly, they are imitating one each other into eternal separation from God.

ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION TODAY.

When my family, friends, strangers look at my life do they truly see the living God through me?

They will only see HIM if we surrender, if we humble ourselves, if we choose to live only for him, and know that this blimp of time is not about us, it’s all about Christ alone, to him be the glory forever and ever, the world will then see distinct people, fully surrendered people, a people that are not self centered but Christ and others centered. They will see the living God in us by how we love our families and friends and even them. My husband says we win people over with the love of God when we heap coals of fire on their heads meaning: showing kindness, generosity, loving our enemies without seeking revenge but that they would see the love of God through us, and his grace and they would be drawn to repentance.

Another way the world will see God through our lives is how we choose to live fearless. It even says it in 1 Peter 3 ; “if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening” … clearly Peter knows we are the weaker vessel and we tend to be a little more fearful than men, that’s okay, it’s okay to look at everything around the world and say, ‘umm, Lord what is happening?’ and then to isolate ourselves and not want to leave our house, be in community, or be obedient to go to that city or country or to that person next door and share the gospel with them that the hope Christ has for that person to come to know Him, and he wants to use you to do just that, will we allow fear to reign? This world is thirsty for good news, hope, peace, and we have the answer but we are afraid, it is time to rise up. One of my favorite verses in the bible is,

Psalm 68:11 “The Lord gives the word;
the women who announce the news are a great host:”

Will we be part of that great host that goes out and proclaims the good news of the Gospel, that we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ. That Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and apart from him we lack no good thing, because he is not just the good thing but the best thing, the one who has beautiful thoughts about us and good plans for us.

To close, the last little line in 1 Peter 3:7 says “we are heirs of the grace of life.”

May we take that with us daily and know that we are heirs of the grace we’ve been given freely by the Father to have life today and life with him for eternity because of the cross of His Son and the great love He has for us.

There’s GRACE upon us may we speak loudly in silence that those that come into our spaces would fall into the loving arms of the Father and be quieted by His love.