One of the traits to work on as you stand for your marriage is to practice being a godly wife. The Characteristics of a godly wife is quite different from what the world will tell you a wife should be.
God has been so gracious to bring my (ex)husband back home after a couple years of being away and still remains home so I have been able to practice being a godly wife for several years now.
Characteristics of a Godly Wife
The term “godly woman” or “godly wife” was quite foreign to me in the beginning of my stand. It sounds pretty pompous; however, it’s quite the opposite. It is a life of submission, a life of obedience.
In this post I will go over:
*What is a Godly wife
*Why Would God Call You to Be a Godly Wife
*Characteristics of a Godly Wife
*What Are The Other Benefits To Being a Godly Wife
What is a Godly Wife?
Being a godly wife you would need to be Christian woman. However, not all Christian women are godly. There are so many degrees to Christianity: some women use this term loosely where as for others, it’s a way they live their lives, their daily walk. The women of the latter are godly women and therefore can become godly wives.
A godly wife is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. None of us are, we are all human. Fortunately, the Lord gives all of us so much grace to continue pursuing to be a godly wife.
The trait that sets a godly wife apart from other wives or women is by their daily walk, in constant pursuit of God’s heart.
Now you might be thinking…my marriage is falling apart or my marriage has been dead for years, why would I try to be a godly wife now?
Good question…
Why Would God Call You To Be A Godly Wife?
God’s desire has always been and always will be to restore us, His children, back to Him.
When God called you to stand in the gap for your husband and marriage, His first priority is to restore His relationship with you and His relationship with your husband.
Don’t get me wrong, if God called you to stand in the gap for your marriage, He will restore your marriage. Marriage is sacred to Him.
Being a godly wife sets you up for a firm foundation on your daily walk with Christ, sets your home up to stand solid ground and sets you up to be restored to your husband.
Characteristics of a Godly Wife
#1 Put God First
A godly woman puts God first in her life. She spends time with the Lord by reading the Bible, praying, doing devotionals. She seeks to know God’s heart and character.
When you read the Bible and spend time with the Lord, go into a quiet place so you can really hear the Holy Spirit ministering to you.
I know as a woman and a mom of a young child, it can be difficult to find distraction free, quiet time. Some things that have helped me really focus on my time with the Lord is:
*waking up early
*using my lunch breaks in the car to spend time with Him
*leaving my phone clear across the room or even in another room
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. – Jeremiah 29:13
#2 A Godly wife prays
She prays morning, noon and night.
I know this might seem too much and you’re probably wondering where would you be able to fit anything else in your time if you are praying all the time.
I assure you, it does not take much time to pray. You can take 10 minutes in the morning to pray. Throughout the day, whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to pray or prompts you pray. And then pray your bedtime prayers before going to bed.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need , and thank him for all he has done. – Philippians 4:6
#3 A Godly Wife Loves
As Christians, we are called to love one another and this is especially true for our husbands. Sometimes it may be difficult to “love” or feel love for your husband but love is a choice, not a feeling.
This world is so used to concentrating on what they feel or what makes them feel good. This is a dangerous thinking to have because if you don’t feel love, then it’s easy to make the choice to walk away from the marriage and “find love” somewhere else.
However, love is a choice. You choose to show love and be loving even when the other person isn’t.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each otehr. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. You love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. – John 13:34-35
#4 A Godly Wife forgives
Forgiveness is tough especially when the receiving end shows no remorse or acknowledgement of any wrong doing. However, forgiveness is necessary.
God calls us to forgive and as godly women we must humble ourselves and forgive.
Forgiveness is letting go of the offense, letting go of any anger and bitterness that you may hold and wait on God to handle the repercussion for the other party involved.
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. – Matthew 6:14
#5 A Godly Wife is patient
Patient with God, patient with her husband, patient with her children.
In a world where we want everything now, NOW, NOW! We are told to take it, to not miss the opportunity, to seize the day! No one wants to wait anymore!
Patience contadicts all of that. The Word of God contradicts the “now” mentality.
According to the Lord, we are to wait on Him. We are to wait on Him with expectation.
When we act upon something without waiting on the Lord, we may make mistakes and regret doing something that we should not have done had we waited on the Lord.
Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act. – Psalm 37:7
#6 A Godly Wife submits
When one hears the word: submission, what comes to mind?
This word, submission, has been misconstrued to think of someone who was weak, who couldn’t think for themselves, who was coward. Someone who is being oppressed.
This could not be further from the truth- God’s truth. Submission in the Bible means putting others wants and needs before your own and in this case: laying down your fleshly desires and putting God’s Will first before your own. Even putting your husband’s desires before your own.
Submission is a selfless act. It’s recognizing God’s hierarchy as how marriage should be which is God first, husband second and wife third. When we mess that hierarchy up and think that we as women do not need to submit to anyone especially our husbands, it goes against God’s plan for marriage.
So how can we submit? We must first submit to God. When we have a heart posture to follow Him, we can trust Him and easily submit to Him knowing that He knows what is best for us. The same can be true for our husbands.
But what if I don’t trust my husband? Good question. I’ve asked myself this question several times and the answer I come up for myself is – I love and trust God, I submit to Him. If He is commanding me to submit to my husband, I trust that He is looking out for me. My husband is not a Christian, he is not walking with the Lord so I am in constant prayer that the Lord will guide him, direct his steps, and give him direction. After all, our God is sovereign whether you believe in Him or not, He is still God.
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. -James 4:7
#7 A Godly Wife Brings Peace
Have you ever met someone who argued or complained all the time? It doesn’t matter what the topic is or who the person on the receiving end is, they just have someone negative to say.
Someone like that does not have peace.
The apostle Paul states in Philippians 4:6 – Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience god’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
A godly wife exudes peace wherever she goes. Regardless what is going on in her life, she needs to be the peace and do you know where you would get that peace? From the prince of peace – Jesus! He gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Before my husband left our home, I did not have peace and I would constantly complain and nag to him. This was probably one of the reasons why he left because there was no peace in the home! So I had to change that. My circumstances wasn’t giving me any peace. My heart was so broken, there was no peace. However when I started seeking the Lord, He gave the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:7
#8 A Godly Wife Is Not Led By Her Feelings
In a culture that tells you to “do what you feel led to” and puts one’s feelings in high regard, this trait is counterintuitive. However, this trait is another trait that God calls us to do.
I recently heard a sermon from Pastor Steven Furtick where he states:
“Feelings are not Lord, Jesus is Lord. We do not walk by feelings, we walk by faith.”
This statement could not be more true.
I understand feelings are importance of our feelings however we should not be led by our feelings because our feeling can change. Instead we should fix our eyes and receive our guidance from the Holy Spirit on what to do and be led by the Holy Spirit.
#9 A Godly Wife Gathers Sisters In Christ Community
I spent a lot of time with God alone especially during the beginning of my stand.
I found other standers that I could confide in. I limited my time with some standers because what I found out rather quickly was how when standers gather together (especially with standers who are still fixated on their circumstances) we sometimes get into the rabbit hole of “this is what my husband is doing”. Instead of fixing our eyes on the Lord and fellowshipping and building and encouraging each other, we instead started having a pity party.
This is not the idea to have a Christian Community.
Instead, find sisters in Christ. They don’t necessary need to be standers or know about standing but sisters that walk with Christ, that can partner and pray with you and support your stand. Sisters who can build you up and hold you accountable to your faith and your walk with God.
What Are The Other Benefits To Being a Godly Wife?
When you are practicing to be a godly wife, you are not just practicing to be a godly wife.
You automatically start practicing this way of living with every aspect of your life: as a mother, as an employee, as a friend.
So those around you benefit from you practicing to be a godly wife.
This is a new way of life, a new lifestyle. You are choosing to put God first as your guide in your marriage and in your life.
The following characteristics after putting God first such as pray, being loving, forgiving, patient, submitting, these all become the fruits of when you walk with God.
This blog post is all about Characteristics of a Godly Wife.
You may also like these other blog posts:
How to Find Beauty from Your Ashes
Prayer Warriors Needed | 12 Reasons Why You Should Be a Prayer Warrior for Your Family
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