The Grace Challenge: Grace in Managing Your Home

I felt like a defunct Christian woman when I wasn’t able to do all that I needed in order to care for my home.

Somehow I thought I was supposed to be like Martha Stewart as I tried to emulate the Proverbs 31 woman.

A perfectly decorated home.  Matching linens.  Coordinating baskets and such.

But there was one problem.

I was exhausted and sick, day in and day out, for years on end.

It was a struggle to keep an orderly home and all that goes with it-  laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, cooking, etc.  Then you throw in the mix that I’m not a domestic diva (nor do I care to be) and you’ll find a woman who felt like a complete failure on a daily basis.  For years!

So I’ve learned a bit about this thing called ‘managing your home’ and how the Enemy will seek to discourage and condemn a homemaker.  And ironically, I learned this lesson through my husband…

Many years ago, he and I had a conversation about my day.  He asked how it was and I told him it was a great. Then I proceeded to tell him about all of the stuff I got accomplished that day in the home.  I felt so accomplished and successful as a homemaker!

And that’s when he asked me something that has stuck in my mind for years to come, “Why do you equate a great day with completing tasks?”  Can’t you just have a great day without marking things off of your to-do lists?

Hmmm, the man made me think.

Why did I assume that the more I accomplished in the home, the better woman I was?  Jesus didn’t measure me by those standards so why did I measure myself by them?

Thought-provoking.

I quickly realized that my comparisons of others, my OCD tendencies, and my perfectionist ways were holding me captive and destroying my joy of taking care of my family.  I needed to learn how to get rid of these issues.

And that’s when I found God’s grace for the homemaker.

The one who’s not good at it.

The one who doesn’t enjoy it but is obedient to serving her family anyway.

And the one who feels like a failure.

I’ve learned to embrace the people in my home over the perfection.  A perfect home might look beautiful, but usually my countenance doesn’t!

I’ve had many messes and mishaps in my homemaking, but one thing I want to make sure of…that I’m a woman who is more concerned about the relationships in my home rather than the things I DO in my home.  

I want my children to rise up and call me blessed, not stressed.  But if I’m stressed all of the time because of the state of my home not measuring up to my standards, then essentially, I’ll push my family away from me.  Who wants to be around a stressed-out woman?

Her children rise up and call her blessed;  Her husband also, and he praises her:  “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.”Proverbs 31:28,29

Challenge:

Will you embrace God’s grace for your homemaking?  No matter the mess of your home or the latest recipe that was a flop?  Choose grace over discouragement!

Join me here next Wednesday for week #6:  Grace in Your Ministry

Prior posts in this series:

Week #1- 7 Truths You Need to Know About God’s Grace

Week #2- Grace in Your Marriage

Week #3- Grace in Your Marriage Bed

Week #4- Grace in Your Mothering

Live a poured out life for Christ,