What Are The Attributes & Traits Of Godly Women? 5 Godly Woman Characteristics

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If you're wondering, what are the characteristics of a god-fearing woman? The first thing you need to ask yourself is...what is goodness? It’s one of the most basic existential questions human beings have, somewhere behind “Is there a God?”, but still ahead—indeed at the heart of—most questions that come after that. It’s essentially the question the rich young man in the Gospel was asking Christ in Matthew 19:16. 

Goodness can take on unique characteristics in every individual. And as much as our terribly confused culture of today denies it, there are differences in the genders. The question of what a godly woman is, in particular, has been the subject of modern controversy. 

The cultural revolution that became clearly visible in the 1960s had modern “feminism” as one of its offshoots. This ideology, claiming to speak to the dignity of women, clearly had some worthwhile points as a part of it. Just as clearly, it had some evil points. And one of those evil points was creating mass confusion about what holiness is for women. 

Finding a Christian woman with godly characteristics became ever-more confusing—not just for Catholic women seeking sanctification, but for Catholic men who became unsure of what they should be valuing in the opposite sex. 

What Does Being a Godly Woman Mean to a Godly Man?

If you're a single Catholic man, you shouldn't be settling for just any woman. No, you should be in the pursuit of a godly woman. The character of a godly woman is someone who will lead you closer to Christ and Heaven.

Gentlemen, keep reading to know what to look for in a godly woman...

Ladies, this is the type of woman you should be striving to be (also, you should be looking for the characteristics of a godly man in every man you date)! Of course, being a godly woman is easier said than done, but, hopefully, this post can give you some direction.

What is a Godly Woman? Our Definition:

If you're confused about whether or not the woman you're with is the one you're meant to marry, it's always good to look for signs from God about relationships. One of these signs is if she is a godly woman or not.

As with most anything in life, we can find answers by looking to the Holy Family for guidance on the characteristics of a God-fearing woman. And for women, that means starting with the Mother of Christ herself. After all, Mary is the definition of a godly woman! Catholic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary offers ways to honor both her Seven Sorrows and her Seven Joys. Within those can be found the answer to the question of what is a godly woman. 

Before we begin, let’s first outline the Sorrows & Joys…

The Seven Sorrows Of Mary
*The Prophecy of Simeon
*The Flight Into Egypt
*The Loss of the Child Jesus
*The Road To Calvary
*The Crucifixion
*The Descent From The Cross
*The Burial Of Jesus

The Seven Joys of Mary
*The Annunciation
*Elizabeth Recognizes The Child Jesus In Her Womb
*The Birth of Christ
*The Adoration of the Magi
*The Finding of the Child Jesus
*Seeing The Risen Christ
*Her Assumption Into Heaven & Coronation As Queen of Heaven And Earth

From these, I would offer the following traits of a godly woman…

Godly Woman Characteristics

If you're looking for your future wife, a good place to start is with finding a woman who has the attributes and character traits of a godly woman.

Of course, this doesn't mean you should only date "perfect" women! Nobody is perfect (except the Virgin Mary!) but you should be looking for someone who strives to follow her faith and live the life God is calling her to.

5 Attributes and Character Traits of a Godly Woman

While there are many attributes of a godly woman, I narrowed it down to the top five which I think are the most important to look for in a woman as you search for your future spouse. The characteristics of a godly woman will vary from woman to woman and relationship to relationship, so understand that this list isn't absolute! However, it should serve as a good starting point.

1. A serving heart

The first of the characteristics of a woman of God is an important one: service. Why did Elizabeth recognize the Infant Jesus in the womb of Mary? It’s because our Blessed Mother was visiting her cousin to help during the time of Elizabeth’s own pregnancy with John The Baptist. In fact, the Gospel of Luke tells us that right after the Annunciation, Mary left “in haste” to see Elizabeth. Good works are indeed a great sign of a godly woman. 

All of us are familiar with the self-sacrificing woman who places the needs of her family above all else. If your family is anything like mine, the early evening hours of Thanksgiving have been marked by women cleaning up after a delicious meal while the guys sleep off their turkey comas in front of the Dallas Cowboys game on television. 

That’s just one example of being a godly woman. I can say that all good men genuinely appreciate how much their wives do for events like these. (Also, gentleman, if you want to be a godly man, be sure to always thank a woman for her many sacrifices and look for ways to pitch in yourself!)

2. Perseverance and patience

The life of Mary was anything but easy. She, Joseph, and the Infant Jesus had to wait out their time of exile in Egypt before getting word that the madness of Herod’s infanticide was over and they could return home. If you read the story of Our Lady’s life, as told to Blessed Mary of Agreda, you learn that the Mother of Christ made the most of this hardship. She was loved by those in Egypt that got to know the Holy Family and encouraged them with gentle kindness to make amends with the Lord. She patiently waited through this trial, trusting that God had a plan. 

As it turned out, the Egyptian exile was just preparation for an even more profound display of perseverance. This was when she stayed with Our Lord all the way to Calvary. How often do all of us turn away from discomfort? Our Lady not only stayed present to Christ during his Passion, but she also marched all the way to the foot of the Cross, planted her feet, and stood her ground to the very end. 

3. Calmness of spirit

It had to be terrifying when Mary and Joseph realized the Child Jesus had been lost when the Holy Family was on pilgrimage. Parents know the terror that comes when a child is missing. Now, imagine that finding the child has the entire scope of human salvation dependent on it. That is called pressure. 

Yet all available evidence, from the lives of the mystics, tells us that Mary responded calmly. She went about the business of finding her Son, of doing the gritty day-to-day work of knocking on doors and looking for any clue as to where he might be. 

We can also look to the Prophecy of Simeon to see this same calmness of spirit. This moment didn’t have life-or-death urgency, but Simeon does tell Mary in no uncertain terms that she is going to suffer and her Son is going to suffer. For any of the moms out there, imagine being told that with certitude at the baptism of your kids (the equivalent of what was happening at the Presentation).

Grace under pressure is not easy and panic is very human. The Blessed Mother points women (indeed all of us) to seeing these moments as opportunities to trust in God. 

4. Acceptance of rightful honors

In the pursuit of humility, it’s easy to buy into a false notion of the concept and fail to accept the praise that you deserve and the honor that God wants you to have. Mary never gave into false humility. 

At the Visitation, Elizabeth says “Who am I that the mother of Lord should come to me?” It would have been easy for Mary, in the interests of putting someone at ease, to deny the reality of what was going on or to gloss over it. Instead, she says in no uncertain terms “All generations will call me blessed.” 

Nor did Mary turn away from the Magi when they brought their generous gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the stable at Bethlehem. She gratefully accepted the honor of seeing the Risen Christ in all his glory, something the mystics tell us she was privileged to have happen before the events recounted in the Gospels about Easter morning. 

The reason Mary could accept these words, gifts, and opportunities were that she perfectly understood their reason—God’s greater glory. Which is always the truth. It was appropriate for Elizabeth to refer to her as the Mother of the Lord, because it was true. It was appropriate for the Magi to shower her and the family with gifts, because the Child in her arms was the Savior of the human race. It was appropriate for her to see the Risen Christ in all his splendor, because she was designated by God Himself as the New Eve, whose obedience to the end had undone the disobedience of the first woman. 

In short, she accepted all of this because it was ultimately about God. To deny any of the praise, gifts or opportunities would have been to deny Him.

5. Union with God

This is the end-game to all holiness for everyone, man or woman. Mary’s union with God was seen profoundly at the Annunciation when she accepted the Divine Invitation to be the Mother of the Savior. In short, a godly woman always puts God first all the days of her life. 

To have union with God, everyone must pray. The community I’m a part of has a number of women who are mothers to large families. To put it mildly, they are busy. If they said they were struggling with finding time to pray, I couldn’t blame them. I don’t know how they do it. But one common facet they all have is that they do in fact, pray. They pray the rosary and do it daily. 

You can also pray and meditate on the Seven Sorrows & Seven Joys. The Seven Sorrows rosary involves saying an Our Father and seven Hail Marys on each sorrow. The Seven Joys is an Our Father and then a full decade of Hail Marys, followed by two additional Hail Marys at the end (the purpose is for there to be 72 Hail Marys, in honor of the fact that Our Lady lived 72 years on earth). 

If you want union with God, you must be…well you must be united with God. That means prayer.

2 Examples of Godly Women of The Bible and Their Qualities

If you're looking for a little inspiration of what a Godly woman looks like, you need to look no further than the Bible. In its pages are many women who possess the qualities of a godly woman. And, ladies, if you're wondering how to be a good woman according to the Bible, keep reading for a few of the best godly woman Bible verses!

Proverbs 31:17

"She girds herself with strength; she exerts her arms with vigor."

There are several Bible verses about godliness but, this verse gives us one of the most famous examples of a godly woman in scripture. The Proverbs 31 woman is someone who every Catholic woman should aspire to be. Younger women and older women alike have items to draw from in these passages. It is well worth reading the entire chapter as it provides a beautiful example of who a godly woman really is. This woman isn't named, so it is fair to say this is an example set for all women. 

Ruth 1:16 

"Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God."

Other than the Blessed Mother, Ruth may be the best example of a godly woman. She remains steadfast to the people in her life but especially to the Lord and the Lord's will for her as a young woman faced with crisis upon crisis. She was a holy and wise woman, always listening for the word of God in her life. For more inspiration from her story, consider reading the Book of Ruth as it is a wonderful resource for men and women alike! 

How to be a Woman of God by Using These Lessons 

Sadly, there is no perfect roadmap on how to become a godly woman. However, there are many examples to turn to for guidance! 

There was no one better, from an intellectual and spiritual standpoint, to explore how the Mother of God matters to the women of today than St. John Paul II. Our late, sainted pope wrote an apostolic letter called Mulieris Dignitatem (The Dignity of Women). You can read it on the Vatican website and it’s well worth the time.

Final Points On the Characteristics of a Woman of God

Men, as you strive to find a Godly wife, don't be afraid to pray for assistance. Ask The Holy Spirit to guide you on your search and lead you to the right woman. Also, ask yourself how you become the man God wants you to be, so that you can be a Godly spouse for your future wife. Be sure to exercise self-control, patience, and respect with all the women you come to know throughout your dating years, 

Ladies, your single years are a wonderful time to grow closer to Jesus Christ and become the woman you were meant to be! As you wait to meet your own husbands, use this time to become a godly woman who will catch the eye of a godly man. 

For more from the Bible about godly women, be sure to read Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians!

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