S- 1 Peter 3:1 and 4 "In the same way, you wives be submissive to your own husbands..."
"But let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."
O-"But let it be the hidden person of the heart." Paul is referring to our adornment as women not being from outward appearance, but that which is in the inside, the heart. Paul talks a lot about mystery and this "hidden person of the heart" gives me that same feeling. Perhaps this is streching it a bit, but I remember someone telling me when I was younger that guys like a girl of mystery that they can discover. That's kind of how I feel with this verse. Someone with a gentle and quiet spirit doesn't always say what they are thinking. They keep things within their heart that don't need to be said right away. I guess I've never realized that this verse referred to "gentle and quiet spirit" being "precious in the sight of God." That speaks volumes of the importance of this characteristic.
A- First, I need to continue to learn to be submissive in my marriage. Not that I try to not be, but sometimes I just talk and talk and talk about the same thing trying to get my way. Perhaps a little manipulative. I didn't realize I was even doing this until recently. There was a certain situation where I was trying to plead my case over and over. It didn't seem to be working. Finally, I was convicted and decided I needed to drop the whole thing. Wouldn't you know it, two weeks later, Jeremy came to me and had made a decision and it happened to be the one I wanted. I realize it won't always turn out this way, but I learned my lesson. I should tell him what I'm thinking, but I definitely need to be submissive in the decision making. Let God work in Him.
Gentle and Quiet Spirit...I definitely think at one point I had more of this than I do now. Perhaps there are remnants left, but I have always wanted to have a gentle and quiet spirit. I just love being around women who do posess this because I feel like when they say something it is God ordained and full of wisdom. I listen when they speak.
P- Lord, continue to help me learn to be a submissive wife. Too many times I try to manipulate to get my way. Help me to respect Jeremy and ultimately you in this way. Lord, help me to have a gentle and quiet spirit because it is precious in your sight. Help me to be a woman whose speech is ordained by you and full of wisdom. Help me to watch my tongue and only say things that are acceptable in your sight.
It's so hard to be quiet and not speak everything. God's been working hard on me with this. When conversations start brewing in my head of what I think I need to talk to Ryan about I try to stop and think if it's really profitable for me to say something now or do I need to pray about it more. Most of the time when I wait the situation either becomes not as important as I thought it was or God works it out. But believe me it takes everything I have not to open my mouth!
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