10 Mar Lending Strength

I have a lot to learn about being an Ezer.  God has recently given me clarity about an area I was not lending strength.

In an effort to back off and give my husband space to lead, I’ve purposely NOT shared my opinion when choosing a restaurant and or making similar decisions.  I thought if I allowed my husband to make every decision, I was putting myself under his authority and encouraging him to lead.  But somewhere along the road, I forgot “help” was in the word “helper”. I forgot that God has given me strengths and gifts that He intends for me to use in our relationship to help make both simple and complex decisions.

In fact, I was suppressing some of my God given strengths, thinking I was allowing my husband to lead, when really my inaction was just exhausting him.  I can come alongside my husband by making choices on my own that I think would please God; that may just free my husband up to do what God has for him in that moment.

I’m slowly realizing that being an Ezer, lending strength to my husband, is not always cut-and-dry.  It’s not as easy as doing physical tasks that help him like ironing his shirt, or even buying him his favorite snacks.  More than that, God wants me to own the cause and help my husband carry some weight in our family.  I need to depend on God for direction in this calling to partner with my husband.  In fact, I need to seek Him in every relationship I desire to lend strength – with my husband, my kids, my mom, my friends.

Being inviting, nurturing and partnering is a posture I choose.  I can move in and out of that posture in a matter of minutes. What do I choose in this moment?  Do I choose to lend strength or tear down?  Do I choose my own agenda or the Creator’s?  What will Christ say about how I loved this person when I see Him face to face?  He suffered and died for me.  What will I do with that in this moment?

~ Sara Fowler