There are many characteristics that describe a “great” woman, but how do you describe a godly woman? What makes a woman godly and how can she display her faith? As Christians, we all seek to be more religious, more wholesome, and more godly, but how do we do that?
As Christian women, the world can be unforgiving. In a rapidly changing society, it’s hard to maintain Christian values but it’s up to us to fulfill the life that God has planned for us.
What Is the Definition of a Godly Woman?
If someone asked you, “Do you think [so-and-so] is godly” what would you say?
If you said no, what would be your reasons for that response? Think about your own life. What do you believe is making you less of a godly woman?
A godly woman is kind, gentle, patient, caring, compassionate, god-fearing, and humble. That’s a tall order and big shoes to fill. It’s important that we remember that no human being is perfect because we all pail in comparison to the great God we love and worship.
All we can do is wake up each day and try our best to live out our eternal destiny. That is the most important godly woman characteristic. Godly women love God, they seek Him, and they thank Him even on their darkest days.
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. – 2 Timothy 3:1-9
As you read through those verses, do any of the characteristics that scripture says to avoid describe you? If so, you might want to continue reading to learn more about how to embrace the characteristics of a godly woman.
What Defines a Woman?
This is a terribly complicated question because we live in a society that is totally torn by socio-economic norms. In some places of the world, the definition of a woman hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. In our modern western society, the characteristics of a woman have changed tremendously over the past century.
But, what defines a woman? What makes a woman who she is? It’s not who she’s married to, what her family is like, or what family she came from even. It’s all about what is in her heart. It’s about how strong her faith is. These are factors that really define a woman because they represent her heart and soul before the Lord.
“God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”
– Psalm 46:5
Though it’s easy to feel like the world is against you, God is with you no matter what. Women have a lot of adversity to overcome, but even at your lowest points in life when nothing is going your way, God is with you. As Christians, we understand that if God is with you, no one can be against you.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” – 1 Corinthians 15:10
As Christian women, we might also feel like we’re “second best” sometimes. It’s important to remember that God made women in His image as well. The Lord supports us, carries us, and is always there for us.
As women, we tend to let the world define us and that definition changes rapidly with every new trend. We must stick to our roots and focus on what scripture teaches us and what our church tells us. By doing that, we’re sure to fulfill the life that God has planned for us and live as godly as possible.
15 Characteristics of a Godly Woman
There are characteristics that we all strive for in this life. We want to be healthy, fit, well-rounded, patient, kind, and much more. But within those characteristics are attributes of a godly woman. These are things that we should all try to do more often.
1. Godly Women Seek God
Do people see you as a person who exemplifies God and represents His good nature? Godly women seek God in their lives on a regular basis. They reject lies and realize that nothing else can satisfy them.
That is one problem that we all experience. We seek satisfaction out of so many areas in life but godly women understand that true satisfaction only comes from God.
2. Godly Women Speak Faith
Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. – Proverbs 27:5-6
One of the most important characteristics of a godly woman is to share your faith. A woman of God is not afraid to share her faith and makes sure that everyone knows and understands her relationship with the Lord, regardless of the fear of ridicule. This is important for all people, not only women.
A great way to share your faith is by getting involved in the local church community. Many women find solace in these types of activities because it allows them to surround themselves with other godly women.
3. Godly Women Are Beautiful
Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. – 1 Timothy 2:9-10
It is an incredibly challenging time to be a woman. We live in a world that is so sexualized and obsessed with personal appearance. But, Godly women are not worried about that. They don’t care, they don’t succumb to pressure, and they see their true beauty. Godly women are beautiful.
They’re beautiful because they’re not afraid to dress modestly. These women do not flaunt and show off because they understand the negative impact that this type of behavior can cause.
Godly women also realize that bodies age and that’s no reason to try and turn back time. Your body is beautiful exactly as it is because it’s yours and you are a child of God. Those who seek plastic surgery and enhancements are focusing too much on things of this world.
4. Godly Women Are Humble
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.
– Philippians 2:3-5
Women spend a lot of time taking care of their loved ones. Caring for others can sometimes be an unforgiving and thankless task, but it’s one that further glorifies God and shows how godly you are. Women must always think of their selfishness as the enemy.
This isn’t only true for women, it is true for all people. We’re so caught up in our own business, what we’re doing, what plans we have, and what’s happening next that we neglect to think about others as much as we should.
It’s important for women looking to live a godly lifestyle to not succumb to these feelings. God tells us that He is doing work through us.
“Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” – Isaiah 66:2
In this verse, God is saying He looks in favor of those who are humble. Those women who are not afraid to do something simply because it’s the right thing to do are the ones that the Lord will look on with great favor.
5. Godly Women Serve God
“He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” – John 12:25-26
Godly women serve the Lord in everything they do. They keep their mind focused on the end goal. The ultimate goal of this life is to serve God, allow Him to work through us, and end up with eternal life in heaven. That is where our focus should be.
Women of God will understand this and allow it to dictate their behavior. When you realize that your only goal in life is to glorify God, it will change you. It will naturally mold you into a more godly woman because you have a clear understanding of what you should be doing.
It’s also critically important that women seek the attention of God more than they do men or women. We all go through periods of time where we’re looking for attention.
Everyone wants to feel loved and cared about but we should try to remember whenever possible that God is the true meaning of passion and love.
6. Godly Women Raise Children
I know that in today’s society a lot of women feel inferior or less important when they stay home and raise children but rest assured, this makes God very happy. There are many instances of praise throughout the Bible for women who do a great job raising their kids.
Motherhood is a thankless job and one that seemingly puts you in a bubble. As you watch others with careers and aspirations you begin to feel like your life isn’t amounting to much. But that couldn’t be any further from the truth because you’re doing God’s work.
While I would like to include every verse of Proverbs 31 here, it’s very long so I’ll share a few verses.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
These verses display everything a powerful and courageous woman can do. Women are strong and have their own unique skill set that perfectly compliments a man.
That’s one of the many reasons why God has us here to begin with. Men and women need each other and women have a very important role in that relationship and in the household.
7. Godly Women Are Hospitable
Godly women are hospitable, but what does that mean exactly?
Hospitality is looking after a neighbor’s home when they’re away or offering to babysit someone’s kids so they can enjoy a little alone time. As we all know, hospitality was very important in Biblical times because it was a popular way to show respect and thanks.
Hospitality doesn’t have to mean a buffet dinner twice a week for the entire neighborhood. It could be something as simple as sitting on your front porch chatting with a friend.
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” – 1 Peter 4:9
God is telling us that we need to invite people over to our home, help others, and open our doors to those in need without grumbling. One area that becomes a problem in this regard is when we compare ourselves to others.
We look at someone else’s home and think it’s so much nicer so why would they ever want to come over to our house?
That doesn’t matter. It’s not about how much you have, it’s about the hospitality you display. How many times have you been to someone’s home and didn’t have a good time? Was it because they didn’t have fancy china or because their couches weren’t real leather? Did you not have a good time because they only have three bedrooms instead of four?
Chances are, if you had a bad time at a dinner party, it had to do with the company and nothing to do with the house.
8. Godly Women Serve Others
A godly woman is an excellent servant. The word “servant” has a negative stigma surrounding it but it’s important to remember that Jesus was a servant. We’re all servants to God so there’s no reason to think of it in a negative way.
Everything we do in our lives serves someone. Whether we’re working a 9 to 5 job, cooking, cleaning, or doing yard work, we’re serving someone.
“If she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.” – 1 Timothy 5:10
There are many ways that we can serve others. It doesn’t have to require hours out of your day. Look at your current situation and commitments and see how you could better serve the people you know.
Perhaps your church needs someone to help with sending out prayer cards. That’s a simple task that you could do in a few hours a week. Maybe you have a great knack for handling children. You could volunteer to teach kids at the church.
Remember, this doesn’t have to only involve your church, you can do things outside of church as well. If you’re a great cook you could consider cooking or baking something for a local charity. Or if you like visiting with the elderly, you could volunteer at a local nursing home.
Whatever it is you choose, there are so many ways for you to glorify God and do His great work here on earth.
9. Godly Women Are Submissive
This is another word that has a negative stigma tied to it but it shouldn’t. Submitting to someone is nothing more than acknowledging the fact that they have authority over you. It doesn’t mean your life is any less valuable or important, it simply means that someone in some capacity has authority over you.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”
– Ephesians 5:22-24
These verses tell us that the church submits to Christ. This is something we do really without thinking about it. In the same way, women should submit to their husbands.
Now, this does not mean that you need to do everything he wants, give him his way, and never have the right to say no. It just means you should try your best to make him happy. Try to serve him any way you can.
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
– Philippians 2:5-8
God did not see his status as a reason to hold his head high and turn up his nose to others. Instead, he took the form of a servant to work among servants.
We need to take a step back sometimes and realize that we’re not special – no human being is. Therefore we need to do everything we can to serve God. The Bible teaches us that serving our husband is one way to do this.
10. Godly Women Teach Others
God instructs all of us to “teach what is good.” What this means is that God believes we all have something to teach but He also wants to make sure that what we’re teaching aligns with His eternal purpose.
I guarantee that if you look around right now, you’ll find examples of this in your life. We can all be a mentor to someone. It’s likely you have had someone in your life who served as your mentor.
This doesn’t mean you need to have a special skill to pass on to someone. A mentor can simply offer advice or share their own experiences to help guide someone.
Perhaps you became a parent at a young age and went through many struggles. You could offer assistance and guidance to young women that are having a hard time emotionally and financially as a new parent.
It’s important that women lift other women up and never tear them down. Make an effort to teach someone something every day and you’ll be doing the great work of God.
11. Godly Women Love Their Family
Love in the household is one of the major keys to being a godly woman. God instructs us to love our husbands and children, that this is our main goal and objective in life.
While focusing on the home seems like an “old-fashioned” way of life, it’s still important to the Christian walk. If we do everything we can to put our home affairs in order, chances are everything else will fall into place too.
One of the most important things we can do is speak kindly of our family whenever possible. Do not say mean things about your husband behind his back. This dishonors him. If we disrespect him publicly, we’re undermining the love and bond of our relationship.
Our children are also important. We live in a society today that is so full of distractions. We need to make sure we spend less time distracted and more time focused on our kids. I find that it helps to have a dedicated time for this.
I try to set a certain amount of time aside each day to play a game or do something fun with my children. During that time, they get my undivided attention. I’m not looking at my phone, talking to someone else, or thinking about anything else at that time. I’m all in on giving them my attention and it’s something they really look forward to.
12. Godly Women Have Self-Control
God says that a woman who lacks discretion is like a jewel in a pig’s nose. She is ridiculous, out of place, embarrassing, a joke. Something otherwise lovely is rendered ridiculous in the context of indiscretion. She might be pretty, a real jewel of a beauty, but if the jewel is in the nose of a pig, what good is it? – Proverbs 11
As women, we can sometimes lack self-control. We speak with anger in our words and act with our own selfish needs. We all do this. Patience is probably something we could all work on and do better at.
Self-control comes in many forms and it may even mean biting your tongue when you want to say something. Keeping the peace is important and observing the needs of others first is what really matters.
13. Godly Women Keep a Home
“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands. A wife with a heart for God pours her efforts into building her home and increasing its wealth. A foolish wife devalues her home through mismanagement.” – Proverbs 14:1
A good question to ask yourself here is, “are you building or tearing down your home?” What are you currently doing with your house to make it a home? Our society makes homemaking seem like a thing that doesn’t even exist anymore but it’s such a critical part of a marriage and family.
Keep in mind that homemaking is so much more than cooking and cleaning. It’s the actual process of turning four walls of wood and stone into a place that is full of life, laughter, and memories. How would you describe your home?
Our home should be a place of connection but once again, we live in such a complicated world. We often don’t gather together at home to share our day, talk about tomorrow, and cherish our relationships. Homes today are more so a place to do our own thing, separately, and sleep.
It is so important that we find ways to spend time together with our families and make connections on a regular basis.
While connection and love are important, maintaining a home is the other half of the deal. Cooking, cleaning, and home maintenance are a big part of turning a house into a home.
“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”
– Proverbs 31:27
God is telling us that we should spend less time laying around, relaxing, and resting, and more time being as productive as possible because that’s how God wants us to use our time. We should be seeking out new opportunities to do things around our home to make it better for the whole family.
14. Godly Women Are Kind
Kindness is an essential component of a godly woman. This is a simple characteristic, but it’s something that we could all likely improve. Instead of holding grudges against people, forgive them. Instead of yelling at someone, try to remain calm.
We’re very connected to our feelings so when something happens, the first instinct is to lash out. But it’s best that we stay cool, calm, and collected at all times. Even if someone has wronged us, it’s best that we don’t hold that grudge against them because it’s not going to do anyone any good.
Remember a time that you were unkind to someone and always put yourself in other people’s shoes.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. – Colossians 3:12-14
This is why I love scripture! There are always verses that describe every little detail about what we want to be in life. God tells us to forgive as He forgave us, what more could we need? He also says that we need to put love first because love is the ultimate glue that will hold everything together.
15. Godly Women Are Thankful
Lastly, godly women are thankful for everything. Even when things are tough and it doesn’t seem like anything is going right, they’re still thankful. Godly women count their blessings because they understand there are people out there in much worse situations.
We all go through times where we don’t feel close to God and our faith starts to dwindle but it’s so important that you call upon God during this time. Thank Him for everything even when you feel like you have nothing to be thankful for.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
