by Joyce Tilney

Woman – Wife – Mother – Business Woman, how do we keep all the balls in the air at one time?

You are a woman by birth. If you're a wife, it's by choice. Being a mother is a blessing from the Lord. The enemy has tried to rob us of the inherent joys of being women and the happiness of enjoying our lives. The issue is not whether you're married or single, a parent or not. Each role has intrinsic pressures. The world doesn't have an answer to keep it all from toppling in on us—only God’s standards can help us keep everything in balance so we can learn to enjoy our lives properly.

Most women are exhausted by the end of the day, with little to show for all their effort. Pressures from many different sources demand our attention. This was not God's original idea for what a woman's life should be.

If you are frustrated, everyone around you is affected, no matter how hard you try. You are not called to be superwoman, but rather to walk in the supernatural power of God. If you're continually running on empty, check the source of your supply—is it God, or yourself? As a woman of God, you have a source available to you that the world knows nothing about. Women of the world manipulate things, but the woman of God infiltrates things. She chooses to infiltrate the powers of darkness on her knees, to break through the pressure they load on her. She allows the Holy Spirit to guide and help her every day as she walks through life.

Jesus told His disciples we have an advantage over the world. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7 NKJ) All we have to do is call on Him. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jer. 33:3) We all want to feel like we are in control. When we give up control and trust God, the peace and joy we desire floods our hearts and affects everything we do.

When a woman of God is satisfied with herself, she models contentment, peace and a willingness to be transparent to others. She exudes authenticity. People are drawn to her. I remember a woman who greatly influenced my life. She was a very busy school secretary. No matter the turmoil in the office, I never saw her frustrated or in a bad mood. I loved being around her. I told my husband, “ I don’t know what she has but it is what I'm looking for!” She was a true witness for the love and peace of God, yet she walked through many difficult times in her life, I later found out. She was a woman confident in her relationship with God. It enabled her to be confident in whatever role she was called to play. She based her life on her inward identity as a child of God, not on the outward role she played in the world.

We play roles in many people’s lives. Many people are watching you and are influenced by how you perform. Women are born to influence—for good, or bad. (For instance, Eve had influence in the garden.) We set the tone and create the atmosphere around us. The world tries to push us into pre-defined roles and then everyone around us tries to direct us and judge whether we're in character or not. If we define ourselves by our external roles, we are set up for a fall. Roles change. I perform the external functions of wife, mother, grandmother, writer and teacher—but these are not who I am. My identity is in Christ, the holy, perfect, and righteous Son of God.

We are bombarded today by the world's view of a woman's place in society. But there is one true standard and source of power able to withstand and outlast the test of time and pressure of society. That standard is Jesus Christ, and His active work in us.

True womanhood is a reflection of a woman's own character measured by the Word of God, not the world's praises or man's attention. As you grow in your walk with the Lord, place your confidence in Him and learn to rest in Him. He will help you juggle all the balls your life has in the air living in an atmosphere of peace. “My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.” (Is. 32:18)

The Holiday Season is upon us. I pray you will not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season according to the world’s standard, but enjoy the Prince of Peace.