What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

"She Can Laugh at the Days to Come"

"She can laugh at the days to come."
Proverbs 31:25, NIV

Quite a few years ago I attempted to write a devotional booklet for women based upon the "Proverbs 31 Woman".  You know the one...that marvelous example of womanhood that many of us would love to emulate, but all too often we sadly fall short and find ourselves thinking we can never measure up to her standards.  If you are interested in seeing some of what I did write, I'll leave a few links at the end of this post. You will quickly see what I mean about not measuring up...

Anyway, before writing this post I searched back through the things I had written from Proverbs 31, and discovered that I had written something for every verse in that chapter except for this particular verse 25.  I'm not sure why I skipped over this one. The other verses were certainly more difficult in some ways...

But let's look at the complete verse...in the New International Version it says:

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."

The version of the Bible that I normally read is the New King James version, and it reads this way:

"Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come."

Either way you read it, this Proverbs 31 woman has the courage (strength) and dignity to not worry about the days to come; she can actually LAUGH and REJOICE perhaps even in the face of adversity and the unknown.  Why? Because this woman has confidence in God...and she knows that no matter what, God is with her. She need not fear the future, because she knows WHO holds her future.

As most of you are aware by now, I just recently retired.  To be quite honest, it was a risky move, financially speaking.  There are many "unknowns" in my future...but there is One constant "KNOWN"...and that is the fact that God holds my future, and therefore I can enter into this season of life with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. Yes, I can "laugh at the days to come"...and with every new day of this retirement I am finding more and more ways to rejoice.  Thank you, Jesus!!

My prayer today is that other "Proverbs 31" women out there will learn how to laugh at the days to come with the confidence that God is already there...no matter what.

Now, if you want to go back and read a few of my early escapades attempting to be a "Proverbs 31 Woman"... and some other examples of this remarkable woman...check these out:


Thank you, Lord, for this powerful example of a Godly woman. Help me, Lord, 
to rejoice in all the days to come.
Amen.

6 comments:

  1. I love the photo of you laughing and it matches the Scripture perfectly. Retirement is a wonderful time and I hope you are enjoying it too, it looks like you are.

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    1. Thank you Terra. Yes, I am trying to get used to the fact that I really don't have to get right up and go every day...I can actually relax a little. Thank you for stopping by.

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  2. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed retirement--serving Jesus. :) As a single woman, I wonder what I can do to be a Proverbs 31 woman?

    Blessings!

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    1. I don't think one has to be married to be a Proverbs 31 woman. I believe it can well be applied to any woman, except for the parts regarding a husband. It is a woman of great courage and faith and wisdom. I feel certain you will fit into that description.

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  3. Retirement is great I hope you are finding lots of things to enjoy on your now free days.
    I always want to be that woman in Proverbs, I read it over and over, but I too fall so short, but
    never give up trying!

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    1. Since we are human we will always fall short of the ideal, but God gives us strength to persevere in the face of trials and disappointments in life...as we need it. He gives us courage and wisdom and faith even when we think we are falling short. You are continuing to grow in His grace each day at each new stage of life. We cannot ask for more.

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