Virtuous: A Devotional for WomenSýnishorn

True Alignment

Key Verse:

"The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it." - Proverbs 10:22

Reading:

One thing I see happening today is that people are buying into the idea or choosing the perception that if they feel uncomfortable or unsure about their identity, they can just change it. Yesterday, we talked briefly about how this is one of Satan's lies. We see gender identity being attacked by special interest groups in the media, we see an internal conflict emerging, and we call it gender dysphoria. However, the physical body is only one aspect of identity. Since it's only one aspect of the three-part human person, I thought it might help to discuss some of the important questions that should be asked when reflecting on altering our body in response to a sense of misalignment. First, will our body and emotions be able to reconcile the changes that we're thinking about making? What about our spiritual identity? Will we have to change our beliefs about God and about Scripture in order to secure alignment? People change a lot over time, our experiences change, and time changes us. The frailty of our bodies changes us. Loss changes us. What if life causes us to change, and we grieve our decision to alter our body to align with gender or with something that is no longer valid? Can it be changed back? What will we lose that we can't reclaim? The desperation people experience as they struggle with a sense of misalignment is tragic. And it can be very disorienting. And unfortunately, the world's answer to the dilemma can end in even deeper despair.

The problem is the same one that Eve faced; she felt that she was lacking what God had, and instead of turning to God for the answer, she turned farther away. Like her, we begin to believe something is missing. We may believe we lack beauty, money, approval, or fame, which may be fading. I remember telling God one day that it didn't seem fair that every woman in my family had thick, beautiful hair, and I did not. As virtuous women of God, we need to look to the Word of God for our self-worth, and not compare ourselves with other women; there will always be someone prettier, or smarter, or more athletic, or skinnier. Have you ever known or seen a woman who you feel looks perfect, point out her flaws, and wish she looked different? You think that's a ridiculous request because she looks perfect! There isn't a single woman who feels 100% confident about themselves. So why do we think that we have the power to make ourselves feel fulfilled? We have to rely on the love and compassion that Jesus displayed toward women, so that we can understand our value to him. We look to the precious Holy Spirit to help us respond to the questions that are being raised by the current culture. The Holy Spirit will always point us to Jesus, who is the only way, the only truth, the only life. Jesus holds the only answer that will end in blessing.

Think about the ways you are contemplating bringing alignment to your discontent. Are these ways in your control or leaning into God's wisdom and peace? God's way always brings blessings. I pray for you today that you will find alignment in your spirit, your soul, in your body. And that if you've already made decisions that seem to be permanent, you understand that God can restore anything in anyone. I tore my ear when I was trying to wear really heavy earrings, and I could go and have surgery, but it's expensive. So, it's not that God's going to heal my ear and make it so that it's put back together again, but it is that he has allowed me to see that that's just not important. Most people don't notice it, and those who do, if it matters to them, then they're probably not the people that I need to be associating with. God may not change your body, but when you turn to Him, trust in Him, and shift your desires to align with His, you'll find that it isn't your physical features that hold importance. What's truly important is your relationship with God and if you're finding your identity in Him.

Reflection:

1. True Identity: Reflect on where you find your identity. Is it in societal standards or in being made in the image of God?
2. Seeking God's Guidance: Are there areas in your life where you feel a sense of misalignment? Pray and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance for God’s way to bring true alignment and peace.
3. Trust in God's Plan: What long-term decisions have you been contemplating? Do you think that they will truly fulfill you?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for creating us in Your image. Help us to embrace who we are and find our worth in You, not in the world's standards. Align our spirit with Your Holy Spirit. Bring harmony to our thoughts, emotions, and will, and let us see our bodies as beautiful temples of Your Spirit. Grant us wisdom to make decisions that honor You. When we feel misaligned, remind us to seek Your guidance and trust in Your plan. Bless us with Your peace and contentment. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.