I’m slipping this 31 Days post just in under the wire. I know it’s late Tuesday or early Wednesday for most of you, but let’s consider daily affirmations for women tonight. More importantly, let’s talk about one we need to start saying first thing every morning, starting this morning
I am wholehearted in my understanding and my speech is consistent.
Daily Affirmations for Women
There’s this verse in Sirach that says “Be steadfast in your understanding…” Lovely verse, but I don’t walk around using the word “steadfast” so I was a little confused how to apply this word into a daily affirmation. I looked up “steadfast” in the Thesaurus and I liked the last synonym listed…wholehearted.
Why “wholehearted” over “steadfast” in my daily affirmations? Because to me, being wholehearted means uniting my mind and heart. The Bible frequently uses the mind and heart interchangeably. Think of Psalm 19:14–“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
So for my daily affirmation, I want to unite my heart and mind. I want my understanding to be so multifaceted that I use every available means from God to understand His ways first. Then I want my understanding to extend to the grumpy toddler (or teen), the stressed husband, or the frustrated fifth grader. I need my mind and heart to truly understand these beautiful souls because they are uniquely multifaceted individuals. Seeing them at face value will lead to poor communication, misunderstanding and more frustration. Remember when we considered A Man of Understanding?
When I try to understand from my heart and my mind, hopefully, I can see past the tough exterior or the grumpy exterior. I will be able to recognize the fear, discomfort or sadness that may be not so obvious. I remember a long time ago hearing, “When a man is angry, there is always a fear behind that anger.” Being able to understand my husband’s anger in a different way, not just what I saw on the surface, helped me to respond instead of react to him. I could feel sympathy for a fear that was behind the anger instead of bristling in my own anger. This understanding completely diffused what could have been a tense situation.
Consistent speech…Oh where do we even begin? One of the reasons I write and blog is to encourage women to break free from negative thoughts and words. So let’s not go too in depth here because this is a topic we will cover frequently. Let’s just say, especially if you are a parent, we know the value of consistency. “Value” is not the best word…the necessity, of being consistent. One time is all it takes for a bad habit to try and take over any good already accomplished. This absolutely holds true in our daily affirmations. We must be consistent in our speech to ourselves or we won’t believe ourselves. If I tell my toddler, “Do not throw that toy or I will take it away from you,” and he throws it and I don’t take it…I’m not consistent; I become unbelievable.
In order for our daily affirmations to be effective, to be life changing and joy producing, we must be consistent in proclaiming them over ourselves. Our heart and mind must be steadfast–wholehearted–and in agreement consistently to break the bad habits we have learned and spoken to ourselves for who knows how long.
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Jenny @ Women With Intention says
Consistency with follow-through is my downfall. I tend to get frustrated, give up, and then try again instead of consistently following through. 🙂 Great post!
Jenny says
I’m a champion starter–stopper–restarter–stopper–re-restarter…
Karen says
Consistency is the key to so many things in life. It’s just following through that is the tricky part for me sometimes. Great reminder!
Jenny says
Oh man the follow through is the least fun and thus the hardest to tackle!
Lysha @ Magnolia Mom says
Consistency is key; yet so difficult with all of life’s distractions.
charlotte says
Love it!
Jenny says
Thanks Charlotte.
Jen @ Growing in Faith says
Great encouragement today! What a way to think of it…being wholehearted and consistent!
Jenny says
Glad you found encouragement in my words today Jen. Thanks for the visit.
Billie says
Consistency…something I need to focus on in many aspects of my life! Enjoyed your post!
Jenny says
It seems like I can manage consistency in only one area at a time, lol! I need some well rounded consistency.
The Momma (aka Therese Moma) says
What a wonderful thought and SO true about needing to understand our children and husbands in a wholehearted way. I love that you are writing on verses from Sirach! I am a convert and I’ll confess that I’ve never actually read through that book (and certainly never did as a Protestant!). After reading this, I think I may need to make that a priority in my spiritual reading list. I am definitely going to go back and read your 31 Days series from the beginning. God bless you!
Jenny says
Hi Therese. Sirach is such a rich book. It seems like there is no end to the wisdom found in it and it’s pretty user friendly–easily applied to our own lives.
tianna says
I think it can be difficult to be wholehearted in everything. sometimes it just doesn’t feel natural, but that doesn’t stop me trying to make it happen 🙂 thanks for this ♥
Jenny says
Lots of times it doesn’t feel natural does it? So we just keep on until it does. I know that’s how I want to live so if I have to fake it until I do, I’m ok with that.
Jennifer says
I have found being Consistency is key when it comes to my kids as well! I have to remind myself they want to be kept in line even if they don’t realize it! Thanks Jenny great post!
Jenny says
I too want to be kept in line, even if I don’t realize it!
Melanie says
Wholehearted. I love thinking of that. Mind and heart and all of our being. When I think of being consistent in my speech, I think of letting my yes be yes and my no be no. Which I’m not always so good at.
Thanks for your words.
Jenny says
It’s too easy to take the easy way and end up saying “whatever” sometimes. Yes to consistent “Yeses” and a firm “No.”
mary beth says
Yes! Consistency counts! I’m so glad that I’m a steady presence to my kids. Life is tough enough! thanks for the encouragement!
Jenny says
And we make it so much tougher on ourselves with our negative thoughts, words and inconsistency.