Honoring God in Your Home as a Working Momናሙና

The Ministry of Motherhood While Working

As a working mom, the 'mom guilt' is tough, isn't it? The constant feeling and pressure that you're doing something wrong and not measuring up because you're working in another capacity other than motherhood can make the most secure mom feel guilty. Well, let me set you free from that prison, as "there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:31). God isn't placing you in that guilt prison, so you shouldn't place yourself there either.

Now that we got that important business out of the way, let's focus on how you can honor God in your motherhood while you're working. To do this, let's look at the Proverbs 31 woman as she demonstrates this beautifully. She is in the real estate market (Prov. 31:16). She also has her own clothing business (Prov. 31:24a) and is a supplier for merchants (Prov. 31:24b). While she has her hands in quite a few business endeavors, she still strives to provide food and clothing for her family (Prov. 31:15, 21). She speaks kindly to her children and watches over their ways (Prov. 31:27). All of this is possible because of her fear of the Lord (Prov. 31:30b).

I realize the Proverbs 31 woman can seem intimidating, but it is really encouraging to see that we can strive to honor God through these proven principles with His help. To translate the Proverbs 31 woman into today's world and times, this woman is clearly a serial entrepreneur as she has several businesses she runs successfully. She is determined to honor God's work above her own by making sure her family's needs are met by rising early if necessary, to provide for them. This can be an easy Crock-Pot or Instant Pot meal. This woman observes her household and uses her words wisely. You may want to limit screen time for your kids and be present after working hours to maximize your interaction. This can include reading a book together, playing a game, or cooking. Your kids don't always care what you do 'for' them as much as what you do 'with' them. Find encouraging things you can say to build your children up throughout the day or before bed. Finally, this woman fears the Lord, which is the motivating factor in honoring and pleasing God in the work He's called her to do. Make time to strengthen your personal relationship with God daily, even if it's five minutes a day. The goal is to apply scripture or a devotion you've read to your life and start living it out.

Let's face it, trying to balance work and motherhood can be tough, but with an intentional focus, you can ditch the mom guilt for good and have your children rise up and call you blessed (Prov. 31:28).