Digging into Proverbs 31:13 – How to Work Willingly

Have you ever had those moments where you question how work is supposed to be a good thing? I know in my head that God designed it to be good, but sometimes it’s hard to truly see that in my heart. Personally, there are many times that I see work as tiring, extensive, overwhelming, and never ending (it’s usually in things like house work or the little everyday details in my jobs). But Proverbs 31:13 gives us an encouraging example of how to view work. It says, “She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.” It is my goal in this post to first unpack this verse and explain some things, but then to show you how to work willingly, even if you’re struggling with being tired, overwhelmed, or lazy.

Friend, we’ve all experienced times when work looks miserable and unfavorable. But together, let’s dig deeper into God’s word to allow truth and endurance to encourage us as we continue to work in the home, outside the home, and for our family and friends.

What does this verse say and mean?

“She seeks wool and flax.” Wool and flax were readily available during this time period. Both were used to meet the needs of people. Wool was provided to make clothing while flax was used to create linens (bed sheets, table cloths, etc.). Because these items were readily available in this time period and economy, this woman could have sent out for someone else to obtain the wool and flax. But instead, she shows herself to have a willing heart to work by seeking them herself. Buying these specific items also shows us that she’s doing what she can to help provide for her household. Rather than leaving her family with work out clothes and linens, she’s willingly spending the time, resources, and energy to make sure her family has what they need.

In our terms, it would be the equivalent of going grocery shopping, or going to Target and resupplying items for your house/family.

“She works with willing hands.” After she’s found her supplies, she starts working…willingly. She doesn’t complain. She doesn’t put it off until it’s too late. And she doesn’t make everyone else do all her work. Rather, her heart is inclined to willingly work. She not only readily found her items to work with, but she eagerly worked to turn it into something that will fulfill a need in her home.

Let me give you an example of what this may look like.

I am not one to love cooking. In fact, I’d be okay if I didn’t have to cook very often. In college, I hardly ever cooked on a day-to-day basis. Instead, I’d either make one big meal that would last for a week, or I’d buy things that I could cook in the microwave. However, once I got married, I had this seemingly foreign desire in my heart to cook healthy and hearty meals for my husband. I still don’t love to cook, but I love cooking for him. I am willing to cook for him.

How does this verse apply to my own life?

This verse is a great example and reminder that we ourselves need to work willingly, both in our hearts and our actions, for our family and our home no matter what we’re feeling (tired, annoyed, overwhelmed, lazy, etc.). Remember, working is not a bad thing. God created it to be good… good for ourselves, for those around us, and for our relationship with Him. Work prompts us to give Him glory as we see the results and His provisions before, during, and after the work. So for us to willingly work means that we’re truly seeing God’s intended plan for us – to grow more and more like Him, being a woman after God’s own heart.

I want to give you some actual things you can do to start working willingly. There have been times where I fell into a rut of working with a hardened heart. I only worked because I absolutely had to. But I don’t want you to see work through a hardened heart, I want you to be able to enjoy working, to eagerly work, to be ready to work, and to work willingly. It makes all the difference! So here is a list of things that have worked for me in the past to have a willing heart.

How to work willingly

-Go to the Lord in prayer asking Him to change your heart.

Tell Him you are not enjoying work, you are __________ (tired, overwhelmed, sick of the everyday mundane tasks, lazy, etc.). Ask Him to give you a willing heart to work and serve those around you. There is power in prayer to the One who listens to us!

-Write a list…lists are your friend!

My husband thought it was weird that I write as many lists as I do. But for me, it helps me to organize everything and visually see what needs to be done. Write a daily/weekly to-do list, write your grocery list, make a list of weekly chores, list out your meal plan for the week, etc. These lists will help you prioritize and organize all the things in your life, rather than trying to remember everything and then ultimately forgetting the important things. And as a bonus for you (if you’ve subscribed to Boldly Rise), I’ve created beautiful printable lists to help you out, get organized, and keep from being overwhelmed! (Gain access at the bottom of the post)

**Only write what you can handle for each day. You know your limit! Don’t push the limit too much either, because you’ll only exhaust yourself and overwhelm yourself.

**Start with the big chores and get them out of the way OR spread them out (i.e. do one load of laundry a day rather than trying to do all the laundry in one day). Again, don’t try to do more than you can handle. God gave us 24 hours in the day for a reason. He knows you have a lot to do, but He also gave us a limited time each and every day. Be wise with how you use that time!

-Find time during your day to re-energize yourself.

This can include your quiet time with Jesus! It is difficult to be on the go for every second that you’re awake. So take some time every day to breathe, to calm down, and to re-energize yourself. Use this time talk to the Lord, to read your Bible, to eat some good food, or to get some quiet time.

-Figure out what time of the day you have the most energy, and coordinate your hardest work to that time.

My energy level throughout the day is kind of weird. I have a lot of energy in the morning after I wake up (usually), but I hit a slump in the mid afternoon that seems to last until after dinner. Then I get another burst of energy around 8 at night. I have learned that when I get those bursts of energy, I need to do the work that is a little more time consuming, hard, or the work that I just don’t normally like to do (like laundry).

-Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

There’s a balance between having somebody else do everything and you doing everything by yourself. Proverbs 31:13 isn’t saying that you have to do all the work all the time. It isn’t saying that your kids can’t work or your husband can’t help you out. But rather, it’s encouraging you to continue to work, even if that means you’re getting a little help! We are not superwoman, and we are not required to be. God just wants us to be willing to work, no matter how much there may be.

-You need to make sure you are taken care of too!

In order to take care of others, working in the home (and potentially out of the home), you need to make sure you’re needs are met too. That means eating good food during the day, drinking water, getting good rest at night, having a quiet time with Jesus, etc. Working with a willing heart doesn’t mean that you take care of everything else but yourself.

_____________

We all experience times in our life when we get sick of working, when we are exhausted from work, or when we just want to sit on the couch and binge watch Netflix all day when we know we have work to do. But I am thankful for verses like Proverbs 31:13 that give us a gentle and encouraging push to work willingly, regardless of what we’re feeling or enduring. I’m thankful that we are getting an insight into the goodness that God created through work. It’s amazing how something that is viewed as negative in society is actually something that can propel us toward the Lord!

Friend, you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by work. You don’t need to be the energetic worker all the time. Working is not always easy. Work takes hard work. But I want to leave you with this. God is not requiring us to be slaves under a whip, working 24/7. But He is wanting you to work willingly. With a willing heart, your work will feel more rewarding, will be a blessing to those around you, and will be fulfilling as God intended. A willing heart is a Christ-like heart. So take this list of how to work willingly, pray over your heart to the Lord, and keep enduring the everyday tasks! With God, you can do it!

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