Sisters in ChristSample

Working in The Home

"These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God". Titus 2:3-4 NLT

What does it mean to work in the home?

As a young mother, I have struggled with feeling overwhelmed trying to manage my household while juggling the ups and downs of parenting two toddlers. Adding church and family functions, outdoor work, and so on. You get it; perhaps you’ve been there.

Practically speaking, meal planning has been something that I’ve been implementing to relieve some of the stress. At the start of the week, I’ll pick a few meals from a master list and start defrosting some of the meat I’ll need. This has helped me tremendously not to get overwhelmed and burned out with cooking.

Perhaps it could involve sharing chores in your home so that not all the workload falls on Mama. And I get it; it takes longer to teach and involve your little children than if you did the task yourself. But this is what parenting is—We teach, model, and guide so that our little ones can become independent and responsible adults. As your toddler grows into a young child and teenager, having the skill to load the dishwasher, vacuum, or start a load of laundry will be so helpful so you can focus on other responsibilities.

As moms, we can’t do it all, but start with what you can do. Learning to appropriately delegate tasks and chores so that everyone in the family has responsibilities and can contribute will lead to a beautiful demonstration of the Church functioning as the body of Christ.

Let’s flip the coin and discuss the dangers of idleness. First, let me start by saying this is something I am growing in, becoming a good steward of the time God has given me. Proverbs 31:27 NKJV says, “She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

We know that “Satan walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV). If we are haphazardly being lazy or idle with the time God has given us, with the responsibilities in the home that are ours, Satan will not hesitate to use it as a means to create dysfunction and ruin. This is not shaming; I am not promoting a lifestyle lacking rest. But, dear sister, I encourage you to talk this out with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him if there is an area of your life that you are being negligent. Ask Him for discernment and wisdom. He loves you, He loves your children and desires your home to be a place of refuge and peace, resembling the integrative work of the Church, the body of Christ.