Scripture: Proverbs 31:11 “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.”
Amplified Version says: The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.
Observation(s):
1. husband trusts wife confidently/has full confidence
2. husband relies on wife
3. husband believes in wife securely
4. husbands' needs are met
Definition(s):
confidence - the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone; firm trust. The state of feeling certain about the truth of something.
trust - firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something. An assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something
Application: The area that I thought I needed to rely on God is with my emotions. As stared in the Proverbs 31 E-Book, the question under emotions was "Can your husband trust you to be self-controlled when under pressure"? There are times under extreme pressure that I lose it. I say things I shouldn't say and I always talk to much. Where there is abundance of words, sin usually follows. I believed I need self control which is a fruit of the spirit for my emotions and tongue.
When I asked my husband, however, he felt the area that needed work was the home - "Can your husband safely trust you to run an orderly home?" This is touchy for me because I really try hard to maintain order. I definitely have a clean house most of the time but I do struggle to maintain physical order. My husband hoards and I have too many books and papers. I have simplified and given away many household items but we still have too much and not enough space saving devices or shelves for organizing. I start too many things at once. My brain goes off in a hundred directions and it is not always natural for me to finish one thing and put it all away. I let it add up at times and then do it all at once at the end of the day. When I cook, I don't wash each item first. I concentrate on cooking. Sometimes I use too many spoons. When I have tried to do things as my husband instructed like wash dishes while you cook and when you use something put it away immediately.
I would like to blame my husband and just say, he needs to get rid of things, help find "homes" for our belongings and build some shelves, but I know I need to take responsibility where I can. The house is the area that I do grumble about the most and it is the area that I feel I spend the most time. I feel no matter how hard I try, I can't keep it as nice as I would like and so when I hear any comment from my husband, it sets me off. I am not confident in this and my emotions are shaken when I feel I am not doing a good enough job.
I created a household notebook with important numbers, cleaning schedules and other documents. I try to keep to a cleaning schedule but do notice instead of doing the 1-2 things on list, I try to tackle the whole house everyday.
One day, I came across an article that says it is disrespectful to not have a place for everything and everything in its place. It is disrespectful because people spend time trying to find an item that the whole family uses. I am guilty of this. I get in a rush and fail to put mail in our desk slot. Homeschooling papers and art projects for preschool are not put in the binder. Occasionally, a library book does not stay on the shelf or in the bag that I designated for library returns.
Can my husband concentrate on his work? Am I meeting His needs? Does he feel loved and secure?
Ultimately, we humans need order physically and spiritually. Our God is a God of Order. He took the chaos and he made order. The first thing God did was make light. I need His light and hope that I can have order in the home so that peace reigns rather than chaos. There have been many improvements in this area over the last few months and I have been hopeful. However, I know I still need to maintain order and not just do it once or twice or many times. It has always fascinated me that when God created the world, day one corresponds to day 5, day 2 corresponds to day 6 and day 3 corresponds to day 7.
Day 1 - Light Day 5 - Sun, Moon, Stars
Day 2 - sky/water - divided Day 6 - fish and birds
firmament
Day 3 - Land Day 7 - living creatures to
live on earth- beast, cattle, man
God put the structure in place such as light, sky/water, land and then he put what belonged in those structures.
The area that my husband needs to trust me is that he can find bills, letters, household items when he needs them. This sense of order will relieve his mind of some worries. I also need this order. My son needs this order so that our time together throughout the day will be free of worrying about "any mess".
Our home is probably somewhere in the middle. There is a lot of order but there is also chaos. I really don't want to stay in the middle/in between. I truly want God's order.
My emotions and lack of self control at times and the lack of order in the home at times are actually very closely linked. My mind is sometimes too cluttered and my house at times is too cluttered. I thrive on complexity at times rather than simplicity. I don't have a sound mind at times because I read too many books at once, I do too many devotionals at once, I have so many journals started at once, I have too many art projects. Basically, I do too much. With the house, I start too many things as well. I would like to say "well this is just me." I would like to say "this is how i learn." Basically, the brain and the home may only be able to take in so much at a time. I thought it was limitless. However, I think too much. I ask a lot of questions. One time, I heard God say "Melinda, you are my curious child." He called me curious not "over thinker, rebellious, unruly." God is well pleased with me. On the other hand, I know i think on things that are too weighty for me. I try to take on the "weight" of many things. I have been called to a season of rest and a season of celebration and joy.
Prayer: Thank you God that you speak through your Word and your Son, Jesus. Thank you that with you all things are possible. I know many times, I feel hopeless over the state of the house. I don't want to go around all day saying this house is messy. Sometimes, I just want to escape and stay away from the house as I tire easily of doing the same things. I still don't have a great structure for where everything belongs. Please forgive me for my hopelessness. Step by step, I pray I will take the time to put things back when I am using something so that I don't have things accumulate. May I take the few extra minutes to finish up one thing before going to the next. Lord, thank you that you have not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power and a SOUND MIND. I claim this sound mind and will walk as you direct my steps. Lord, may I do everything to your glory. May i rest in you, celebrate and take joy in each step of creating order in the house. Let me see afresh your order.
