My heart was convicted as I read in
Scripture of a woman who was so desperate for God's healing in her life,
she was willing to do anything to just touch Him (Mark 5:24-34).
I had to ask myself, how desperate am I for God's touch on my life?
There are times I might be desperate to feel and look younger, to be
thinner, to have more in the way of peace and happiness. But how
desperate am I to be whole and complete in every way?
After surveying nearly 100 women, I found several common areas in which
women, myself included, need the touch of God to be whole and complete. I
also found that Scripture addresses these areas of a woman's life so
that we can receive His healing touch. See if you can relate to needing
God's touch in these areas of your life, as well:
1. Our Hearts - So They Can Be "Set On Things Above"
Women often stress over the temporal - bills that must be paid, whether
or not a man will come into our lives,
if we'll be able to have a child,
what someone is saying about us, how our body looks, and so on. At
times we are more concerned about what the scales say than what God
says. Our heart is closely attuned to our bank balance, rather than our
life's balance.
Yet God instructs us in Colossians 3:1-2: "set your hearts on things
above." If our priorities were in heaven, not on this earth, we would
not only be happier and healthier, but less financially drained and
emotionally spent. Matthew 6:19-21 tells us not to "store up treasures
here on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and
steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ….For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also." It takes God's touch to
clear our hearts of what this world says is important and focus it on
the things above.
2. Our Minds - So They Are Transformed and Renewed
It's amazing how many women profess to know God and follow Him, yet
their thinking patterns are just like those of anyone else in the world.
Scripture commands us: "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this
world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way
you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will
know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is" (Romans 12:2,
NLT).
Furthermore, God's Word instructs: "fix your thoughts on what is true
and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and
admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of
praise…and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT).
What mental anguish we would spare ourselves from if we would let God
transform our mind and renew our thoughts to think as He would.
3. Our Mouths - To Be Wholesome and Pleasing to God
Because women tend to be communicators, we can cause much damage with
our mouths if we do not bring them under God's control. Whether it is
gossip, criticism or unkind remarks, our mouths can be instruments of
righteousness or unrighteousness. In Ephesians 4:29 we are told to "not
let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is
helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may
benefit those who listen." God's touch on our lives can make us women
whose words heal and encourage, rather than distract and destroy.
4. Our Bodies - To Be Pure and Holy for Him
Are you one to worry and stress about what the scale says, how many
calories you took in, and whether or not you can still fit into a
certain size? God's command to us is "Give your bodies to God. Let them
be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept. When you think
of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?" (Romans 12:1,
NLT). It is important that we keep our bodies healthy and in good shape
(as we are His temple), but God says our most prevalent concern should
be that we keep our bodies holy. In fact, God calls keeping our bodies
holy our "spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1, NIV).
One of the ways we can keep our bodies holy is by how we choose to
dress. People can tell much about us, and whom we love, by how we dress.
Do we call attention to ourselves or the God who made us? If the way we
dress says "Look at me!" we may want to rethink how we dress so that
others can see Christ through us. Can others see Christ in you or are
you getting in the way?
5. Our Emotions - To Be Calmed with the Peace of God
There are days when, hormonally or just circumstantially, we need God's
touch to calm our frazzled emotions and level out our lives. Philippians
4:6-7 says "Don't' worry about anything, but pray about everything.
With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and request to God. Then,
because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that
no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way
you think and feel" (CEV). A woman who is controlled by God's peace is
not on the edge, but in the spacious place of His embrace.
I believe if we seek God's touch in those five areas of our lives we
would rarely have reason to feel we are going over the edge. For
instance, when you get frustrated in a relationship, go back to the
principle of letting God transform and renew your mind to only think on
whatever is pure, right, lovely, good, and so on. And when you are about
to lose it over finances or something that takes you by surprise,
remember to not be anxious about anything, but to pray about
everything…keeping a heart of thanksgiving for what you've been given.
And when your heart begins to desire something that you cannot attain,
remember to set your heart on things above.
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