By SARAH GUTHRIE
What are some good examples of feminine mystery? I’ve heard it mentioned before, but I don’t exactly know what it is, or how I am to live it out.
answered by: Sarah guthrie | CO, USA
I empathize with your confusion! Trying to put your finger on something that is labeled a “mystery” can feel more like you’re chasing a rainbow than achieving captivating Christlikeness.
Let’s start with what mystery is not. The Bible does a wonderful job in debunking this for us. Feminine mystery doesn’t have any part in the coy, flirtatious, drama-filled, attention-seeking mentality of this world. These womanly wiles are rooted in what the Bible states as, “earthly, sensual, and devilish” (Jas. 3:15 KJV). Simply put, feminine mystery is the aura and outflow of those who have adopted the following motto — “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30).
Mystery is a noun, it’s either what we are … or aren’t. Spiritually speaking, this word points to the woman who leads a life that is enveloped in devotion to Jesus Christ. He is the focal point of her heart, the determiner of her actions, and the springboard for her words. And as such, the surrender that marks her life has set her free from the fear of man to be blissfully unaware and unaffected by the world’s thoughts and opinions.
While many onlookers scratch their heads and wonder just what makes her tick, it is the lifestyle marked by mystery that inspires the questions. She is others-focused, immovable, purposed, and has a sparkle, regardless of how cloudy the circumstances of life are. At times she appears to walk with her head in the clouds because her prayers transport her to the throne room of grace. She yearns for a better country — her heavenly home — where the Shepherd of her soul resides. This focus enables her to live with a vertical, eternal purpose rather than a horizontal, earthly perspective.
I think mystery is best captured in the following account of Sarah Edwards, wife of legendary Jonathan Edwards. Sarah displayed the life of one who lived for and loved Jesus to the point where all the world grew strangely dim. Be inspired by this description of her:
“…she hardly cares for anything, except to meditate on Him … She is of a wonderful sweetness, calmness, and universal benevolence of mind … She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly; and seems to be always full of joy and pleasure … She loves to be alone, walking in the fields and groves, and seems to have some one invisible always conversing with her.”1
However, wrangling the elements that comprise feminine mystery without having them appear forced, feigned, or “put on” can prove to be quite the conundrum. Those who possess mystery don’t memorize a certain set of Bible verses, or practice Victorian etiquette; mystery is an outflow, not a regimen. I pray these tried and true practicals will lift your soul’s gaze to Jesus!
Practice Beholding Him – His worth, His life, His calling, and His prize is to be stamped upon our mind’s eye. In light of these stunning truths everything else pales in comparison. (See Colossians 3:1-3, Matthew 6:21, Hebrews 12:2, and 1 Corinthians 9:24-25.) Mystery is inherent in those who “have not seen and yet have believed” in their Crucified Lord (Jn. 20:29).
Increase Your Wonder – Have you recently sat in awe of His Word, His perfection, His sacrifice, His Cross, or His creation? Never get over what bears witness to Him in your surroundings each day. Marvel at the detail and grandeur of God — seeing His hand at work in the bloom of a flower, or the blossom of a soul. (See Psalm 95:1-7, 119:18, 97, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Galatians 6:14, and Colossians 2:13-15.)
Temper Your Responses – Proverbs tells us that while a “fool vents his feelings … a wise man holds them back” (Prov. 29:11). Christlikeness must veil our knee-jerk reactions and initial frustration. When it does, your unruffled demeanor speaks louder than the words you didn’t say.
Forgo Unnecessary Words – Girls that blurt every single thought that springs to mind leave nothing to the imagination. I love Mary’s example, who — after giving birth to the Son of God and witnessing the lives of some transformed shepherds — forsook the need to “gush” to those around her, and instead treasured and pondered these miracles in her heart. (See Proverbs 10:19 and Luke 2:19.)
As you aspire to live in light of the fact that your life is hidden with Christ, you’ll realize that feminine mystery is like a friendly shadow — something intriguing that inevitably follows. While impossible to pin down, it points to something larger than itself and derives its appearance from its subject. Live in the shadow of Jesus Christ, and you will find that feminine mystery will follow — guaranteed.
