Burke County

Behind the scenes of Bible women’s dramatic stories hover powerful secrets for taming runaway emotions. When we stand on a mountain, gazing at an advancing storm across a panorama of distant peaks, we’re transfixed by the drama. In this same way, the lives of women in the Bible reveal emotions that mesmerize us — and teach us — through the storms they encountered.

Their lives sweep us into strong updrafts of emotional drama. For example, Esther’s enemies created a tempest in her royal world as they clamored for attention, raucously demanding satiation of their lust for power, money, sex, and status. But from beyond the fog created by human emotions, the effects of Esther’s God glimmered — sometimes visible, mostly invisible. Throughout her story, springtime wisps of God’s tender care blew through the blinding smog of wicked Haman and his cronies. Eventually, these tiny signs of God’s control gathered into a powerful display of Almighty power that rocked Esther’s world and brought a tsunami of radiant joy to her people.

It was as if I heard her speak to me, talking gently about overcoming fear in the face of crisis and the powerful love of God, which can strengthen me to act in godly ways. A tour into the depths of a Bible woman’s story can reveal many precious treasures of truth tucked away in hidden, out-of-the-way corners. God Himself shines His spotlight on her messages, and I am captivated by the Lover of my soul. Through it all, her steady emotions modeled a reliance on God that we all need. We read more about her in the Book of Esther.

In contrast to Esther’s composure, which leads her entire nation to joy, we have Queen Athaliah. The thunder of her fury darkens the landscape of her story with lightning speed, shattering serene skies and replacing them with an air of tension and foreboding. We can learn much from the effects of her anger and manipulation as played out in 2 Kings chapter 11.

Occupying the other end of the scale from Athaliah is Jesus’ mother, Mary. Her shining beacon of holiness attracted the high favor of God. But Mary still faced the strong winds and ominous thunder of reproach and even condemnation from her Jewish family and friends. We can assume that the threat of their discovering her to be pregnant while unmarried broke into her tranquility as she carried the Prince of Peace within her body. Yet, the triumphant exultation of her brilliant Magnificat rings through the ages. Mary portrayed that fruit of the Spirit called temperance, a quality we all long for because it steadies our emotions. We first come to know her in Luke chapter 1.

As readers, we become the “storm-chasers” of these women’s stories, learning from the good and the bad of their emotions. The priceless value of a guided tour behind their stories has forever changed the way I look at them as they rise from the pages of Scripture. My prayer for you is that the Lord will thrill you with the same awestruck wonder at His love and care for you as you discover their secrets for emotional resilience.

Byline: Learn more about how women in the Bible guide us to embrace God’s enduring strength at www.marlenehouk.com

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Marlene is an author and teacher of Bible studies. She may be reached at [email protected]

To receive helpful insight from the Bible, sign up for her newsletter at http://www.MarleneHouk.com, or connect with her on other social media. You can read more good Christian News from Marlene HERE.

Learn more about how women in the Bible guide us to embrace God’s enduring strength at www.marlenehouk.com

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