Our church assembles for a corporate fast annually during the first full week of January. Before I was married, I participated every year. But once I got married, I followed my husband's lead. If he didn't do it, I wouldn't do it. And so, in the almost six years that we've been married, we participated in Solemn Assembly once together as a family.
This year, I prayed about it and felt that whether my husband participated in solemn assembly or not, I was going to participate. Today's sermon confirmed for me that I needed to remember, repent, and repeat the things I did before that were pleasing to the Lord and made Him a priority in my life - above my husband, kids, mother, father, brother, sister, etc. I was on fire for the Lord in my daily life and I didn't allow people or things to get in the way of pleasing Him. But I got away from that. I think back to the passage that speaks to being married or being single.
But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:32-35 NASB)
Like the passage says...when you're married, you tend to focus on pleasing your husband. When you're single, you focus on the things of God and what pleases Him. There has to be a way as a married woman to please the Lord, first, then please your husband. I think it helps when your husband understands this and supports you. Thankfully, mine does. And, to my surprise, he wants to participate in solemn assembly this year. I'm super excited about it.
I've always told my husband about my quest to be like the Proverbs 31 woman. Even in naming this blog, that's what I hoped to personify in my daily life. The most important reason I want to emulate the Proverbs 31 woman is because she feared the Lord. Aside from all that she did in her life, that is what sticks out to me the most.
This is my personal prayer tonight. That the Lord will renew in me, my love for Him first. That what I do is pleasing to Him first. That I will be on fire for Him in the time I spend with Him, daily. That religion will not be more important than my relationship with Him. That my duties will not replace my devotion to Him.
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