Most people go through life allowing circumstances to determine their emotional state. When life is going well, they are happy and content, but when things get tough, they lose their peace and become bombarded with worry. As believers, we are called to respond differently. In fact, we are empowered to do so. The Holy Spirit is literally with you during every moment of your life. Even when you don’t feel the tangible presence, you must know that you are not alone. I believe that the physical womb of the woman symbolizes the importance of growing with the presence of God. As Mary carried Jesus, she was faced with horrific emotional abuse, but she allowed the presence of God to continue to grow. She was empowered to withstand every circumstance.
Because God has called us to renew our minds and follow His will for our lives, He expects us to depend on our guiding force, the Holy Spirit. So where do we tend to get things mixed up? Well, unfortunately our society has tricked us into believing that empowerment and motivation are one and the same. Motivating words can make you feel better and cause you to begin to move forward and produce great achievements. However, the motive can be pulled from a place of bitterness, insecurity, and pride—the same sources of the enemy’s motivation.
As women of God, we must pay attention to the intention behind everything that we do. I mean everything! If we are selfishly pursuing things to prove a point to those around us or even to ourselves, we become vulnerable to a slick plot twist of the enemy. I’m sure you’ve heard the male/female duo sing, “Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you.” They spend the entire song trying to outdo one another. It can be said that the song motivates women to competitively confess their strength and power. However, it’s a distraction. Women, we were not created to compete with men. We are all here to establish the kingdom of God. We are all equal to serve, and we must be empowered and led by the Holy Spirit to do so.
So, where in your life have you found yourself being motivated by things that had nothing to do with God’s will for you? Be honest with yourself, I know I’m not the only one who has given my power away to the customs of the world. When God reveals truth and understanding, you must, like I have been doing, drop everything you thought you knew and submit to the revelation that God is giving you. The safest place to be is in the will of God for your life.
