As I was driving today, I was listening to a Christian radio show discussing some of the issues we as women have to deal with regularly. Intrigued by the subject matter, I turned up the volume to be sure not to miss out on what was being said. It’s not very often that you hear men and women discussing PMS and perimenopause on air, but a discussion that shouldn’t quickly be dismissed.
It’s the elephant in the room that everyone “ignores” but still has to struggle through. Once a month, we’re hit with a surge of hormones that can sometimes turn us into horrible beasts. Our words become short, our patience flies out the window, and our emotions are something we “have no control over.” The old phrase, “It must be that time of the month” is so often used to excuse our behavior.
For every woman, “that time of the month” is different than the next gal. The reality is that our bodies are going through a physical roller coaster. We don’t feel great, we’re bloated, and definitely don’t feel like ourselves. When we look at it strictly from a medical standpoint, we have legitimate issues that we are dealing with. PMS often includes both physical and emotional symptoms, such as:
- Acne
- Swollen or tender breasts
- Feeling tired
- Trouble sleeping
- Upset stomach, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
- Headache or backache
- Appetite changes or food cravings
- Joint or muscle pain
- Trouble with concentration or memory
- Tension, irritability, mood swings, or crying spells
- Anxiety or depression
Symptoms vary from woman to woman. We all know this. We’ve heard it a million times. Nothing new there!
But as I drove down the road, the female guest on the broadcast said something that caught my attention; not in a negative way, but more in an “Ah-ha!” sort of way. Beyond the physical ramifications of PMS, we as Christian women, are in a spiritual battle during that time of the month.
Spiritual? Really? Yes, really. You see, when we begin to take the symptoms of PMS as allowance for bad moods, irritability, or all together emotional nastiness, we minimize what it truly is:
S-I-N!!
Nowhere in Scripture did God ever give us permission to sin because we are not feeling well. Instead, his Word tells us throughout that ill-tempers lead to folly. Take a look at just a few verses in Proverbs:
- Proverbs 14:17 “A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.”
- Proverbs 14:29 “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”
- Proverbs 15:18 “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
- Proverbs 22:24 “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person; do not associate with one easily angered.”
- Proverbs 29:22 “An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.”
Again and again, God’s Word warns us against these emotional deficits. It’s amazing that we so easily buy into the lies that our sin is excused because we just can’t help it. That’s a lie from Satan that we need to run from! We need to have self-control, enabled by the Holy Spirit, on all days…even on those days.
So on those days, dwell on this, “In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in EVERYTHING.” 1 Timothy 3:11
Take PMS and let it be your goal to:
P-Please M-My S-Savior!
Let’s do it!!
Titus 2 Women of L.I.F.E. 