Joan of Arc’s Faith Enabled Her To Do Hard Things
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March has been about focusing on inspiring women from the Bible in a series called: “Bible Boss Babes.” As it is formally Women’s History Month in Australia, the UK and the US, and also with International Women’s Day having been on March 8th, it’s a month where Seele’s Editor, Ally will point out four inspiring women and share practical life tips that we can apply to our own lives.
Last week we looked at The Witch of En Dor a woman who we can learn something from. This week we’re looking at Joan of Arc, and though she is not in the Bible, Joan was an unwavering woman of faith, and it was this faith that enabled her to do hard things.
During week two of this month, we looked at Deborah in the Book of Judges, who was Israel’s first female judge. A judge was a military leader and Joan of Arc and Deborah would have made good gal pals, as they were leaders and knew military strategy.
Born in 1412 during the 100 Year’s War, a war that lasted 116 years between England, the dominant nation and France. Joan’s family were peasant farmers in Domrémy, France. She was illiterate but had a very devout Catholic mother. At age 12, her mission began as she claimed to have heard heavenly voices telling her to live a life of faith and a strict adherence to righteous living; a few years later she claimed the voices told her reclaim the territory of France from English rule; at 16 she picked up her first sword; she was leading the French army by 17; and just before her 20th birthday she was burned at the stake. Her accomplishments were many, but the most significant was changing the course of the 100 Years War by leading the charge in ending English domination of France.
There’s a quite a few aspects to her life and faith in God. Her faith endowed her to do her mission, her faith impacted those around her, she helped other people live their faith, she relied on her faith in the battles she fought, and this is what we’ll focus on today: her faith enabled her to do hard things within the parameter of her calling.
As we are living in challenging times today with the Cornavirus, and humans have gone through hard times over the ages, I want to encourage us and remind us that it is our faith in God that enables us to do hard things when God has called us to do them.
Reclaiming the territory of France didn’t come easily to Joan. It took faith, tenacity and boldness, the kind of boldness that Jael had when killing one of the Canaanite military commanders. Joan boldly went to Charles VII and basically said, stand up, we will take France back. In a series of 6 months of major battles, to where the French won, Joan lifted the Siege of Orleans. And it was her that pushed for Charles VII to go to the town of Reims to be crowned king on July 18, 1429.
It was her faith in God that enabled her to face her English accusers alone after her capture in Compiègne, when Charles VII had forsaken her, and she had to face “fake news” of 70 counts, which included dressing as a man, hearsay, and witchcraft. Though she was scared to be burned at the stake, it was her faith that got her there.
From an early age, despite the extreme poverty that she grew up in, Joan believed God had a divine purpose for her life. Her faith inspired those around her, and like Nehemiah who whipped the Israelites into shape, Joan whipped her men into shape by keeping prostitutes away from her soldiers, as she encouraged them to live pious lives. Like Joan, our faith guides us into holy living and enables us to do the hard things in life- even when others think we’re crazy.
In May 1920, Pope Benedict XVI canonized her and four days later the French Parliament made a day in her honor. When looking at the affect that Joan of Arc had on the entire world, the French people and other nations would not be who they are without her. It’s unlikely that Charles VII would have won the 100 Years War without Joan, and France would not have united as a nation- hence no French Revolution, or Napoleon, or no modern world. There would have been no metric system, no French aiding in the American Revolutionary War, no Louisiana Purchase, no strong French influence in New Orleans and the Lebanese or Canadians would not be speaking so much French today.
God has a way of making nobodies into somebodies. And though we often think God will bless us with palaces and foreign cars, His blessings often look different in the form of -yes- good times but good times birthed out of challenge or pain. Joan faced many challenges but changed the world before the age of 20, in more ways than kings and emperors rarely do. God’s call on her life fueled her faith and enabled her to do hard things- and as a result, our world looks the way it does today because a 12-year-old girl boldly said yes to her calling.
Are you living your calling?
Happy Friday and with love! God bless you and go bless someone else this weekend!