The Blueprint – Day 6

PROVERBS 31:17 says: “She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.”  AMPC

The choice of words is so meaningful. To gird is to secure something with a belt or a band. It keeps something in place that might otherwise fall off or get loose and lose its effectiveness. In this case, it’s strength that the Proverbs 31 woman needs to gird around her life. 

How easy is it for us to get tired physically, spiritually, mentally or emotionally? Pretty easy! So the Prov. 31 woman takes the necessary measures to gird herself with strength because she knows how easy it is to lose it. She knows she’s going to need strength and so she does what she needs to do to strengthen herself in her spirit, mind, and body. That takes discipline but it’s so worth it!  

Then it says that she makes her arms strong and firm. Why her arms? Why not her legs or her shoulders or her back? Well, probably because we carry things with our arms. We hold onto things, drag things, support things, grab hold of things, signal, and gesture with our arms. They can carry a lot of weight if we strengthen them. If they are firm and strong they won’t be weak when needed. 

This is a picture of our life. We need to keep our total being strengthened in God and ready to carry weight when required. That takes diligence and discipline and a heart focused on God. 

Action Step: What is one thing you can do to help strengthen your body on a regular basis?  How about your mind?  Last, but definitely not least, what can you do to strengthen your spirit? 

We can do this! Let’s stay physically, mentally and spiritually fit!