Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
1. Peter 3:3-4
For a talkative person like myself 1. Peter 3:4 has always been a challenging piece of scripture.
First of all, you will never see me walk into my Fathers house out of place! No way for Satan, I will dress to impress the Father. I guess it's just a mentality I've had from my Childhood. On Sundays, you wear your Sunday best. My Mother always divided my wardrobe into clothes that were for every day and clothes that were specifically for Church. And now that my mum doesn't tell me what to wear anymore I still practice that same habit. I just feel like other women go to the stores to buy a nice outfit to slay in the club every weekend why shouldn't we Churchgirls do the same but in a way that will honor God?
Secondly, your girl is talkative...I can be on the phone for four hours and not get tired.
So this is why 1. Peter 3 was like a slap in the face to me. I do care about my outward appearance and the last thing I had was a quiet spirit. Ain't nothing quite about me. I actually felt personally attacked by Peter..like he was coming for my life. It felt like when Pastors accuse women of spending more money on Brazilian hair than on tithe. (The truth hurts but it shall also set you free)
So as I grew up and desired to be more of a woman of God I brought my dilemma before the Lord in prayer and asked Him if I even qualify. Would I have to stop dressing nicely for church and act like a quiet and shy girl from now on?
No, of course not. You do not need to wear sackcloth and shut up to qualify as a godly woman. As a matter of fact, being well dressed and outspoken is not contradicting to what 1. Peter 3 is saying.
Now that I have a revelation of what that scripture actually means I'm at peace with myself.
By the Grace of God, I found out that having a quiet and gentle spirit means knowing when not to speak. It's that simple.
A quiet and gentle Spirit is about knowing when it's time to speak up and when its time to remain silent. A quiet and gentle spirit allows you to listen to people for listening to sake and not in order to respond. It's the kind of Spirit that will allow you to be still before the Lord and hear from God. This is what makes us beautiful before the Lord.
It is a Spirit that will allow a prayer not to just be a monologue but a conversation because your heart can be still before Him and wait for a response. We have become so good at pouring our hearts out before God which is a good thing but not quite enough to wait for a response.
Some people can't be alone in stillness and even listen to their own thoughts because they are tormenting. Some people feel like every action needs a response. But as women of God who clothe ourselves with the Spirit of God, we understand that that's not the case.
We get that Woman of God Swag that can't be bought in the Stores by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us as we speak life and not death and as we are still before the Father to be able to hear from Him.
Click here to watch the video on this topic on YouTube and be inspired!
Love, Ashley!
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