The Spirit of Godliness
I know you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say this. There are days when I feel our Father has just kissed me on the cheek, and then… there are the other days. I have good days with Him and not-as-good days with Him…just like any other relationship. So how do I cultivate a spirit of godliness in my home and what will it look like when I do? Upon first glance of this title, what words come to your mind about godliness? Religious? Pious? Strict? or do you think… Divine? Good? Holy? Reverent? Faithful? Forgiven? All of the above?
There have been times in my relationship with our Father that I’ve laughed, cried, begged, pouted and pitched a fit, quit speaking to Him for a while, and I’ve even been so angry as to shout and ask Him what He is doing. This is our relationship and the thing I LOVE about Him is that He is always the same. He is the one being in my life that is constant. When I apologize, He forgives me.
Once I’ve had my little fit, His arms are open to hold me and assure me that I’ve not gone too far this time. If I’ve had a bitter, angry day, He gently reminds me that the sun is setting and morning is coming.
A Godly Woman
In my opinion, a woman who possesses the spirit of godliness in her home is not perfect. She isn’t rigid, judgmental or pious. She has nothing to prove. She doesn’t pretend to be something she’s not whether in His presence or not. I think Emilie says it best,
“A godly woman is one who possesses inner peace and tranquility…. She is strong, and yet she doesn’t use her strength to control or dominate people; neither does she depend on recognition from others. Hers is an inner contentment and satisfaction based not on accomplishments, position or authority, but on a deep awareness of God’s eternal and personal love for her.”
So how does the spirit of godliness look in our homes? I will give you some thoughts to ponder, but it may look different in your home than mine. That is perfect. Our relationships with Him are meant to be different. He is the same, but we are each a special part of His creation and in His infinite love for us, He meets us where we are.
- Look for Him in the small things. Washing dishes isn’t such a chore when we see beauty in the prisms of dish soap bubbles. ~ One Thousand Gifts by Anne Voscamp
- Get outside. There is no better place to meet with Him than in His creation.
- Look for ways to bless another human creation in your life.
- Talk to Him daily.
- Read His Word or a daily devotional.
- Keep a prayer journal.
- Bring the outside in with flowers, plants and pets.
- Invite people into your home.
- Say grace at meals – not as a ritual, but to spend a minute reflecting on His goodness for that particular day.
How does godliness look in your home?