Laugh at the Days to Come +linkup

Back at the beginning of this year, a group of wonderful ladies and I wrote a 4 week study guide on Proverbs 31.  We titled our book “Set Apart“. I’m sure many of you have heard it mentioned here, and I know lots of you already own it.  🙂

The authors and I agreed upon 5 posts that could be shared on our blogs so that you could get a better idea of what our book is like. I just realized that i had only shared 3 of them so far. Today I’m sharing the devotion for verse 25 “She will laugh at days to come“.

She will Laugh at the Days to Come:

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
Proverbs 31:25

                                                                                                                                       by Sarah Nichols

Isn’t this verse just delightful? This verse describes the virtuous woman as someone who is clothed with strength and dignity. Wow! It seems like a common perception that women, especially in that day and time, were deemed the weaker sex. However this Proverb tells us that the virtuous woman is strong and dignified. I imagine that she is strong physically from working her hands, and strong spiritually. Her strength comes from the Lord.

The virtuous woman is also clothed in dignity. Webster’s dictionary defines dignity as “a sign or token of respect”. The virtuous woman is respected by others. She carries herself in a respectable manner that all can see, she is clothed in her dignity.

Finally, verse twenty-five tells us “she can laugh at the days to come”. This woman does not worry about the future. She does not worry about death. She has planned ahead and she knows her destiny. She laughs because the thought of it brings her joy.

Can you imagine how liberating this would be if we all lived this way? To have complete trust that God is in control and to think of the future with joy? As women, it’s so easy for us to worry and fret about everything that could go wrong. But the Bible tells us “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)

So what does this mean for us? How can we aspire to be clothed in strength and dignity, and laugh at the days to come? I believe that being clothed in strength and dignity are the natural result of someone who models their life after the teachings of Christ. We must seek to be like Him in everything we do.

When a worry begins to creep into our hearts, we must not “be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present [our] requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) If we do that, the Bible says “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) May we all live our lives with joy and trust that we can laugh at the days to come.

Today’s Prayer:

Lord, when people see me, I want them to see you. Help me to be clothed in strength and dignity. Help me to give my fears and worries to you so that I can laugh at the days to come. Teach me to walk in your ways. Amen

 

Purchase the full copy of Set Apart here. It covers a 4 week span focusing on 22 different character traits with a printable scripture card for each one. There is a printable study guide with questions and spaces for writing that you can use along with the devotional, as well as 3 large printables you can hang in your home to put God’s word in front of you and remind you how special you are.

More peeks at our devotional:

Her Children Call Her Blessed
She Does Him Good and Not Evil
Respected in the City Gates