Photo by Mikhail Nilov
It is often acknowledged, but throughout history, women have borne the weight of much suffering. Time and time again, they have endured trials that have tested their resilience and faith to their limits.
Yet, within the light of Christian faith, they have never once let up. They are filled with grace & mercy. It is incalculable and immeasurable how faith provides strength to the suffering of women.
5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
Women who have placed their trust in Christ hold within their hearts a beacon of hope, shining and offering solace in the darkness, strength in the storm, and the promise of redemption. They may be placed in the path of suffering, but they are forever destined for greatness.
How Faith Provides Strength to Women Suffering
Across all cultures and backgrounds, women have faced a myriad of challenges and waves of tribulations. Women have suffered. They have suffered greatly. Illness, disease, emotional turmoil, domestic abuse, and gendered expectations–these are all pressures that lead to more feelings of despair and hopelessness. These pressures can be particularly heavy for women, who, in their capacities as caregivers, workers, mothers, lovers, and homebodies, can be extremely vulnerable.
Grace & mercy comes in abundance with faith.
Photo by cottonbro studio
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Grace & Mercy
One of the most important aspects of the Christian faith is its idea of grace, the favor that God bestows upon humanity.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Grace permeates everything. It is like the wind or the light. Though it is intangible and invisible, it has the power to change the course of rivers and elevate societies.
In addition to grace, there is also mercy–compassion made manifest in response to the human condition. Although women suffer and become overwhelmed by the burden they bear, the mercy of God awaits them, a balm to their wounds and an open path to their redemption.
And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Through these unseen forces, women are comforted and reassured. They are not alone in this world, and they have someone who is watching them over.
Grace & mercy comes in abundance with faith.
Photo by Eduardo Dutra
How Grace & Mercy Transforms
The grace and mercy that comes, blooming out of faith is transformative. Just ask Mary, who became the mother of the Lord; ask Ruth, who found happiness late in life; ask the many Christian women, who have mastered their households and brought glory to all around them.
Grace and mercy are the catalysts that urge growth, enabling women to overcome adversity and emerge changed and stronger than ever before from their suffering. Faith allows women to look at their suffering from another perspective and recognize that it serves a higher purpose in God’s plan. Drawing on these gifts from God helps women grow to be more resilient in facing challenges that require courage and determination. These also set a stage for women to discover their hidden talents and their abilities, which they might have never realized if they had not suffered. There is a silver lining to everything.
Lastly, having faith in Christ is a commitment to a powerful promise: the hope of eternal life and a future that is free from further pain and suffering. There is comfort and strength there.
God’s love can be calming and soothing for the soul, an immense motivational engine, to know that there is something worth persevering.
Testaments from Survivors
The Christian faith is a profound source of strength and hope for many women who are suffering. Read more about the stories of these women in Tish Barnhardt’s Testaments from Survivors: Women Healed and Whole Volumes 1 & 2, which you can buy copies of by clicking this link.
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