January 30, 2023
The First Step to Smiling With out Worry
Katy McCown 

In the present day’s Reality

A spouse of noble character who can discover? She is value way over rubies (Proverbs 31:10 NIV).

Pal to Pal

It’s as if the worn-out piece of wooden can inform the longer term. Years of use have actually left their mark on the outdated stick, and every time it seems, anticipation swirls within the hearts of my little folks. 

Throughout the days of my husband’s youth, as he and his siblings grew in age and dimension, Luke’s mother took a picket board and made it a measuring stick. 12 months after 12 months, Luke and his brothers and sister would scoot their heels all the way in which to the wall, stretch their necks, and wait anxiously to see the brand new line that marked how a lot they’d grown.

Now, many years later, my kids wish to measure themselves on this usual piece of wooden. Largely as a result of my husband and his brothers now stand over six toes tall … and presumably as a result of two of them performed greater than ten years {of professional} soccer. 

So when my boys scoot their heels all the way in which to the wall and stretch their necks, they wait anxiously to seek out out if their line as we speak matches the road of their daddy or uncles all these years in the past. As a result of if it does, then their goals of being tall or maybe even of being an expert athlete appear extra more likely to come true. 

All of us have a software by which we measure ourselves — that one particular person or factor that makes us imagine what we’ve performed, how we glance, or how we reside is successful or a failure. However In the present day’s Reality reveals us one other place to seek out our price.

Proverbs 31 introduces us to a lady who smiles on the future with out worry (Proverbs 31:25). The very first verse about this lady begins with worth. 

I don’t willingly convey up grade faculty math class, however for a minute, let’s return there. Do you bear in mind the > and < indicators? They’re used for evaluating numbers and expressions. They present when one thing is greater than or lower than one thing else. For instance, 10 is greater than 2, so we write 10 > 2. Whew! Glad that’s over.

In the present day’s Reality additionally makes a comparability, “A spouse of noble character who can discover? She is value way over rubies” (Proverbs 31:10). Did you catch the comparability? Primarily based on our math lesson, it’s saying, her value > rubies. It truly says her value is far greater than rubies, however I don’t suppose we’ve an indication for that. 

In Scripture, the actual valuable stone translated “rubies” in Proverbs 31:10 is in contrast with knowledge (Job 28:18; Proverbs 3:15; 8:11), and it was presumably one of many valuable stones within the excessive priest’s breastplate (Exodus 28:17). 

God Himself has outlined our price.

Our price is just not based mostly on ever-changing earthly measurements and comparisons. Our price doesn’t need to be outlined by our place on the company ladder, the variety of likes on our social media posts, or the cleanliness of our kitchen counters. 

As an alternative, our price is rooted within the unshakable, unchanging identify of God. By religion in Jesus, God extends to us the suitable to freely obtain His grace and turn out to be co heirs to His kingdom (Titus 3:7). Jesus even talked concerning the connection between worth and safety (Matthew 6:25-34).

After we go searching at anybody or the rest to find out whether or not we measure up, we’ll reside exhausted, confused, and afraid—always adjusting our efforts to match what we see round us and hoping we don’t take a unsuitable flip that proves disastrous. 

As Jesus identified to His followers, our price to God is the catalyst to cease worrying and begin looking for Him (Matthew 6:33).

After we actually imagine that Jesus has defeated loss of life and sin as soon as and for all, we are able to commerce the chains of performance-based acceptance for the free reward of God’s grace and take step one to smiling with out worry of the longer term. 

What’s one factor you are able to do as we speak to show your consideration away from the measuring sticks of the world and concentrate on God’s grace to you and His love for you?

Let’s Pray 

Pricey God, I’m uninterested in attempting to measure up and sustain with the ever-changing opinions of the world. Assist me perceive Your grace in a brand new means as we speak. In Jesus’ Title, Amen.

Now It’s Your Flip  

In what methods do you examine your self with others? Spend a couple of minutes contemplating the measuring sticks you’ve arrange in your life.  How does your worth to God change your perspective on the stuff you’ve been measuring your self in opposition to? 

Make an inventory of Scriptures that remind you of your value to God. Hold them in an accessible place and skim them typically.

Extra from the Girlfriends

Katy would love to present you 7 Prayers to Assist You Smile With out Worry. Click on right here to obtain this free reward as we speak!

© 2022 by Katy McCown. All rights reserved.

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Do you know that Girlfriends in God depends solely on the continuing generosity of mates such as you? As a worldwide nonprofit ministry, monetary help from sisters all around the world fuels our efforts to supply biblical devotions with the objective of equipping ladies to use the gospel to all of life. Would you contemplate making a small reward, or turning into a month-to-month associate, to assist maintain the GiG’s ministry? To make a donation please go to https://girlfriendsingod.com/donate/

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