WHAT EXACTLY IS A STRONG WOMAN?

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

What is a strong woman? What does she look like? What does she think like? What does she say? What does she do? What doesn’t she do? Strength. I admit this is a concept I find myself thinking about when I feel I am lacking it most. It is when I find myself feeling weak in some way, longing to have more strength, to be strong, or stronger, than I am in that moment, that I think about it the most.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines strength as “the quality or state of being strong; capacity for exertion or endurance; power to resist force; power of resisting attack.” For most things in my life, I feel strong and capable enough to handle what I have to handle, to take care of the things I have to take care of, and to do what I have to do, but like everyone else in life, there are times I face something that is so big that all I can do is hit the ground with my knees and cry out to God that “this is too much for me.” No matter how strong or capable we are as humans, there will always be something bigger than us; something that makes it abundantly clear how much we need our heavenly Father.

The strongest people that I have known throughout my life were not the strongest physically. I didn’t think they were strong because I was impressed by the amount of weight that they could bench press or squat. I thought they were strong because they made it through every hurdle, trial, and struggle that they experienced, and somehow, they managed to do so in a way that allowed them to remain kind, good-hearted, and loving individuals; that, to me, is true strength.

The strongest woman I have ever known was my grandma. When I was a little girl, I would ask her all these questions about her life, and she would tell me about her experiences. I couldn’t understand how she could make it through every trial she had been through and remain so kind, caring, and gentle, so amazingly strong, but as I grew up, the source of her strength became very clear to me; it was God!

Throughout the Bible, there are countless examples of men and women who were not the strongest, bravest, or most confident, and yet, they experienced victory because they depended on God, and He became their strength. From Moses, who felt unqualified and ineloquent; to Gideon, who believed he was the least in his family and came from the weakest clan; to David, who was a shepherd that his own family had discounted as an option to become king; to Esther, who didn’t believe she could even request to speak to the king without being sentenced to death; each of them experienced a feeling of inadequacy or lack to some degree, yet each one was able to face the thing that they feared the most by taking their eyes off of themselves, and by taking a step of faith in God.

The Bible says that God is our strength, the Source of our strength, and the One who renews our strength repeatedly throughout the Old and New Testaments. God never expected or even asked us to be strong in ourselves; He asks us to be strong in Him. God says that our relationship with Him will give us strength and courage to face every battle that we face in life, and He promises to be with us as we do. The key to strength is not greater faith in ourselves. The key to strength is having greater faith in God by believing that God is who He says He is, and His Word is true.

So, what is a strong woman?

A strong woman is a woman who knows and believes that God’s Word is true; a woman who fights against the doubts, fears, and circumstances of life with the Word of God; a woman who knows that even though her world may be falling apart all around her that she is still blessed and kept by God, and that He will use even this; yes, even this! Somehow, someway, this too, will be used! A strong woman is not a woman who never doubts, or never fears, or never cries out when the circumstances get too hard. That’s some kind of make-believe superhero that doesn’t exist in this world. A strong woman is someone who fights against her disappointment, pain, and grief; her heartbreak, heartache, and loss by choosing to believe and choosing to trust God anyways; not because of the circumstances, but in spite of them.

Remember, God loves you, and He is with you! You are not alone. You don’t have to be strong enough to face whatever you’re facing. God is and will be your strength. You don’t have to have enough faith right now. God can give you that too! In fact, He wants to. I pray you turn to Him in whatever you are currently facing, that you submit it all to your loving, heavenly Father, and that you ask Him for the strength and the faith you need. He will see you through!

Psalms 18:1-3 (NIV)

“I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.”

Written by Crystal Bryan.