It is not uncommon to hear that women are the weaker vessel or that we are supposed to be weak. But is that necessarily true? I have always wondered if we are really that weak, especially considering what we go through every month and even during childbirth. I seriously wondered, until I opened the Bible and found several women who arose and overcame pain and were actually much stronger than was expected of them.
Let’s take a look at Hannah and the pain she went through in life. Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah. In 1 Samuel 1 we read that Peninnah, the other wife of Elkanah, was mocking Hannah because she did not bear a child yet. This was considered shameful and it must have been very painful for Hannah, but she didn’t lose hope! She continued to seek the face of God in prayer, and did not turn to other means but instead kept trusting God that things would change. And they did! God granted her a babyboy named Samuel, who grow up to become the final judge and the prophet who anointed the first two kings of Israel. Isn’t God amazing? Look what happens when you put your trust in God!
Another strong woman in the Bible is Deborah. She was not simply a woman, she was a wife, mother, judge and prophetess. When she saw that things weren’t going well in the land of Israel, she stood up and took action. She arose on behalf of Israel because they were in need (Judges 5:7). I wonder if she had it easy. How many of us could juggle all this pressures? Someone saying God doesn’t use women could already discourage us. It is at that moment that we need to be strong and not doubt Gods purpose for us. No, I am not writing this to make women look like rebels, but I want us to come to the realization that we are not as weak as we may seem. Yes, maybe physically we are weaker than the man, but we carry nations in our womb. Woman, you are strong and usable if you allow God!
Did God not say in the book of Joel 2:28-29 (KJV); “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” Strong woman, that is who you are!
Let me tell you about the daughters of Zelophedad (Numbers 27:1-11). In the time of Moses, an inheritance would go to the males in the family. When their father died however, these 5 women defied the odds. They arose in front of the leadership and demanded their inheritance. One thing I loved is that Moses did not rebuke them, nor did he call them disrespectful or disobedient. He rather went to the Lord to seek advice, and God told him that what these women were asking was right. So hold on, women who dared to stand up? Nowadays they would have been called Jezebels. Too bad people forget that Jezebel is a spirit often attributed to women, whilst men have it to. But that’s a discussion reserved for another time.
Women, we are strong! So many things should have brought us down, but we keep going. There are so many women in the Bible who are examples of a strong woman. I believe these women became who they were because they relied on God rather than man. The same is true for today. If women keep listening to what people say about them, many of us will never fulfill our God given mission on this earth. Eventually, we will all stand before God independently and we will all have to give an account for our actions, as the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV); “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Depend on God, even in the worst situations, for He will pull you through. Be strong in the power of His might!
God bless,
Claudia Baah
Guest Writer
The Purpose Wife 