I may ask it this way instead. When does it become easy to be with other women? Maybe you are someone who is still not entirely comfortable sitting with women around the table, even believing women, or might I add, especially believing women. Perhaps you feel like the stakes are higher, the accountability not likely to make you comfortable, and the pressure too intense to show yourself as worthy. Do any of these things cross your mind? If they do, you are not alone. We have all experienced women who can be very hard on women!
Bear with me as I ask a couple of more questions. Does sitting at the table mean casting aside who you are to be someone you think they would prefer? Or does true freedom come when you cast aside all of that work and just be you? If I have learned anything from my years of sitting with women it is this. When you are free you encourage other women to be free as well
You see, true freedom allows you to gather and sit with other women without any fear. It means getting to know them and allowing them to see the real you, the totally unmasked you. One bit of advice. When you decide to be real, be kind, and don’t think you need to bring up very past hurt. This only makes women feel that they must be on guard that they don’t offend or hurt you like those in your past. You be free and let them be free too. This is where real victory enters in.
Being you means operating in your lane. Your lane my not be the lane that anyone else is in, and that is fine. It is your lane, so they don’t necessarily have to get it, or understand it. They can rejoice with you, that you are where you need to be, even as they taste and see the goodness of your fruit. Once again just be you!
John 13:34-35 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.