devotion: sisterly connections
Scriptures: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” - I John 4:11 NKJV
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,” - Romans 15:5 ESV
Often as women we have either said or heard another woman make comments such as, “I just don’t get along with other women”, “I don’t trust other women”, “I don’t have female friends”, “Women are too catty for me”, “I prefer hanging out or having guy friends because there’s less drama” or something to that affect. Are those true reasons, or have we not learned to show ourselves friendly, or what it means to truly be a friend ourselves? As women: wives, mothers, sisters, friends, coworkers, etc. we wear many hats and often make attempts to carry loads that we were NEVER built, equipped, or even asked to carry alone. When we do, on the outside we make it look beautiful and effortless, all the while breaking or wearing our bodies, minds, and spirits down. We grow weary, lose hope, and grit through it because we feel justified, because we have been let down so many times that we don’t dare extend the olive branch one more time out of fear that they will either see the brokenness behind the smile, reject us, totally miss, or dismiss our efforts to connect. Those are scary and vulnerable places to be.
Although these may be common reasons why you have stopped or have not made any attempts to make those sister connections, I challenge you to challenge that voice in your head because it has caused too many women to miss out on that Exodus 17:12 sisterhood edition blessing, “But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”
May we find our steady sisters to stand on all sides of us when we grow weary and unsteady. May we find those sisters that can prop us up, help carry the load that life or we ourselves place upon ourselves and find those that are genuine, trustworthy, reliable, are as loyal to us as we are to them, can see the tears that have yet fallen and have the beautiful ability to bring light, laughter, and good food during the good and darkest of times.
Reflection: Take a few moments and ask the Lord who the sisters in Christ are in your life that you need for this season of life. My encouragement and challenge for you is to reach out to them today or throughout the week to make a connection. HAPPY CONNECTING SISTER!
