What You Were Made For
Barbie; A childhood toy that in recent months took our world by storm, becoming one of the highest grossing movies of all time. As someone who was once a little girl, I was more than ready to see a depiction of my girlhood on the big screen. I went shopping with my sisters, we put on our pink outfits, and saw the film in theaters. To summarize the movie, Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence. She ventures into the “Real World” to learn which hapless human has triggered her malfunctions as a doll. Along the way, she learns who made her, the moral implications of death and decision-making, and the trap of attempted perfection as a woman.
As a believer, I couldn’t help but notice the parallels to creation and the wrestling I did with my own identity at the start of my walk. Young women across the world who went to see this movie, found themselves relating to Barbie. They began asking questions such as: what is my place as a woman? What is my purpose? Who am I? And the biggest one of all, depicted in the movie by a Billie Eilish song, what was I made for?
As a woman and as the eldest daughter in my family, there were times in my life where I felt disoriented, running in circles in a maze of deception established by the enemy (Col. 2:4). Those intricate lies tell us we are not enough to our partners, families, friends, and Christ, increasing the burdens of failing to keep up with our own standards and expectations, and causing us to hold on to the guilt of failures both real and imagined. However, Father God understands our struggle, stating in Matthew 11:28:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”
The first important step in understanding your identity as a woman of God, is moving forward in obedience, with hearts that mirror His will and rest in Him. The word “of” is a functional word used to indicate that something is part of, originated from, or is in a direct relationship with another, greater thing. To say someone is a woman “of God” means that woman is originating from God, and is in right relationship with God. Therefore, Father God is the foundation of her life.
Before I gave my life to Christ, I had a tendency to derive my value from worldly, and material things. This might’ve included the attention of men, my exterior appearance and worldly beauty standards, my accolades, or even through being held in high regard by those around me. Without these things, I lacked confidence and self esteem. So what happened if I had a bad hair day? What happened if the boy I like did not like me back? So what happened when I didn’t get the leadership position I wanted? What happened if I suddenly became unliked by my friends? Did that make me less woman? Did that make me less valuable?
Romans 5:8 (KJV) states:
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We serve a God that thought we were valuable enough that He continued to extend his love to us through our sin and sent His son to die on a cross so that we could be made new.
Our daily task of living for righteousness requires us to crucify our flesh. Belonging is powerful in and of itself. But belonging to the Most High God, who is the one true living God and the Creator of all things, gives us a peace and security that is not of this world! John 17:17 states:
This Jesus, to whom we belong, will not waste anything in our lives.
While we rest on that truth, we lean in under the yoke of Christ (the yoke discussed in Matthew 11:28) and strive to live for Him with the grace He provides. Consequently, our lives are transformed. Therefore, what is our purpose? To honor God with our thoughts and lives and thus keeping His commandments, for one day we will stand before Him in judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
Woman of God, nothing else defines you except Christ. You were made to have humility in spirit, to be fearless, to be faithful, to be at peace, and to seek wisdom (Proverbs 31:10-31).
Now that you know who you are, what your purpose is, and what you were made to be, what’s the next step? Let’s review the story of Mary and Martha.
The story of Mary and Martha in the Bible, found in Luke 10:38-42, portrays two sisters hosting Jesus at their home. Martha busily attends to the preparations, while Mary sits at Jesus' feet, listening to his teachings. Martha becomes frustrated with her sister and asks Jesus to intervene. He gently tells her that Mary has chosen the better path, emphasizing the importance of spiritual attentiveness over worldly distractions. This narrative underscores the significance of prioritizing a relationship with God over worldly concerns. Ask yourself, in what areas of your life have you been a Martha?
As you proceed in your relationship with the Lord, be a Mary and always remember to choose the more excellent way.
Let’s pray…
Father God,
We thank You for loving us, forgiving us and saving us. We give thanks to You as we call upon Your Name. We are thankful that Your compassion towards us is unfailing and Your mercies are new every day. We confess that as we submit to Your Word; we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. We declare that we are virtuous women and that our price is far above rubies. When I feel rejected and alone, help me know that You will not reject or forsake me. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, and give me strength and comfort in the midst of my difficult circumstances. Teach me to call upon You with strength and perseverance, knowing and trusting that you hear my every prayer. Direct my path and lead me in the way I should go. Just as Mary longed to sit at Your feet and learn from You, help me to spend time in Your Word to gain nourishment and strength for my spirit .
In Jesus’ name, Amen.