Proverbs 31 as a professional woman - Part 38

Dear loyal readers, I trust that you’re blessed and highly favoured.

This week we continue our conversation on success principle ten for Proverbs 31 as a professional woman: “She’s strong, courageous and discerning". Last week I boldly shared that:

“Reading the first six books of the Old Testament will reveal to you that anytime God gave someone an assignment, they got the premium account of Heaven – which is God Himself going with them. Since God is the same, everlasting to everlasting, why do you doubt His integrity to be with you also?

"Truthfully, God knows that your human limitations might make you afraid or doubt, but when you take those fears and doubts to Him, that’s you understanding that in your own strength – you’re weak, but with Him on your side, you can rise above that which you think makes you unqualified.” (part 37)

In part 37 I also shared that:

“In the book of Psalms, we see that King David understood the multidimensionality of strength and courage as coming from God, within himself, from the support of people around him and from moving in purpose.”

I encourage you to rethink strength and courage by looking at it through the lens of King David as mentioned above. This broadened understanding will inspire you to remove yourself as the pinnacle of strength as you realise that the Lord who gave you the assignment, is quintessentially the One who will also strengthen you and lead you to become courageous enough to complete it – for the revelation of His glory. In this, you will need to use discernment as to the type of strength and courage required for the assignment. The Lord’s glory is revealed in the Lord – being your strength, strengthening you or empowering you through a strong and capable team. At times, you will be strengthened and feel courageous because you are walking in divine alignment with the will of God for your life.

This is the ideal situation.

Unfortunately, sometimes people may acknowledge that the assignment is from the Lord, yet their flesh can confuse them into moving outside the will of God – especially when they are getting increasing recognition, status and fame. The result: pride, ignoring the Lord, moving in vain glory, selfish ambition, leaning on your own understanding and later on getting fearful and discouraged from being overwhelmed.

Let us repent for this type of thinking.

Proverbs 31 as a professional woman is aware of Psalm 90:17, which says: “May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.”

For the Lord’s favour to rest upon her and to give her success in her work, it starts with an awareness that in her professional capacity, she enthusiastically works, firstly, for the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:23-24 – please see parts 1 and 2 for more context), and secondly, she honours and respects her employer (1 Timothy 6:1-2 TPT).

She acknowledges that the blessings the Lord placed in her from Genesis 1:28 need Him to bring them to fulfilment – according to His will and for the revelation of His glory. This requires her to cooperate with the Lord — from a place of love, humble submission and courageously choosing to trust in Him to bring His will and purposes to pass in her life.

In a world that celebrates achievements based on human courage and strength alone, she knows that her professional success is actually the Lord’s success revealed through her. Ultimately, only He can provide her satisfaction in her work (see Ecclesiastes 2:24-25) because the Lord takes delight in the prosperity of His servant (see Psalm 35:27 KJV).

By relying on Him, she recognises that the premium strength she draws on first is not her own but the Lord’s – because He will strengthen her Himself.

Shalom.