As Christian women, we have much to face to live a Christian life.  As wives, mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers, much is required of us  and we are often overwhelmed in our daily lives.

Every stage of our lives has its own peculiar trials and troubles, but let us not live in defeat.  Let us arm ourselves with the resources God provides. Let us purpose in our hearts to find our strength in the Lord.  People who win races don’t just decide to win, they do many things to prepare themselves.  They eat right, slowly practice every day to build up their strength and endurance, and set a goal, purposing in their minds to achieve it.

Likewise, patience and perseverance do not just happen.  They take diligent practice.  They take purposing in your heart.  So must we be if we are to be an overcomer.  See Hebrews 12:1b  “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus.”

Here are some helpful suggestions :

First, don’t overload yourself with activities.  Find a balance.  If you need help, don’t turn it down.  Even ask for it. See I John 4:4  “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Second, find something in Scripture and start dwelling on it each day. Memorize it and exercise your mind to dwell on God’s Word until it becomes part of your thinking.  Psalm 119:11  “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Third, purpose in your heart.  Follow the example of Ezra where it says in 7:10 “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”

Or how about Daniel in 1:8 “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat.”

Or in Acts 11:23, Barnabas “Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.”

Fourth, Fret not because fretting causes stress which in turn uses up energy which is needed for strength.  Psalm 37:7a “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself.”

Fifth, Lay aside selfish desires. In James 4:3 we read this, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Sixth, Bring everything to the Lord. Mark 14:38 “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

Remember, these things are possible because Jesus prays for us, John 17:20  ^“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.”

God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, I Corinthians 10:13  “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Jesus was tempted and is able to be there for us when we are tempted. Hebrews 2:18 “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to aid them that are tempted.”

Theme: The Better Way: Our own strength cannot make us an overcomer, but the strength of the Lord can and will, as we diligently seek Him.