Chapter 5 - A Heart that Serves

"A woman after God's own heart is a woman who carefully cultivates a servant spirit, whether she is married or not."

The key word here is cultivate. That word says to me that it is something that I have to work at. We cultivate a garden in order to get the desired outcome we want. We must also cultivate our spirit to make it servant-like. I don't know about you, but servant like doesn't come naturally to me. I will say that the closest I've ever been is when my children were born. When they lay that precious baby in your arms, you are so eager to care for them and change endless poopy diapers, but unfortunately that only lasts for a little while before the thoughts start that ask, "Where is my time?" "Who is going to clean up after me?"

I think it's just a natural response to focus on ourselves, but we must fight against those thoughts. We must fight those self-seeking thoughts and feelings even more in our marital relationships. According to Genesis 2:18- "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him" -we are to be our husband's helper. Understanding that we are on assignment from God to help our husbands is the key to a heart after God. I don't know what that looks like in your life, but you do. Are you sharing his responsibilities, responding to his nature with understanding and love and wholeheartedly cooperating with him in working out God's plan? I know I'm not always perfect at doing that, but I want to do those things and that is the cultivation process, my sisters!

How can we? Our writer tells us to first make a commitment to help our husband. Making the decision is very important, because it means that you're willing. The second thing is to focus on our husbands. I cannot even say enough about this point. I think it is a great disservice to our children when we make our husband the last thing on our list. He needs to be my highest human priority and he needs to know that he is. Ask the Lord to show you ways you can help your husband each day. Ask your husband what he might need done and see what answer you get. I will admit that I've been answering "Sure!" a lot lately, purposefully making sure that he knows I'll help him whenever he needs it.

If you don't have a husband, then you are not off the hook! You get to God's wife! You get to serve Him and Him alone. Ask Him where you can serve, He will most surely tell you! A high calling indeed, to be God's help meet!