From Eliyahu
Life in the 21st Century is complex, and can be difficult for anyone. In this
message I am specifically talking about balancing the roles of wife and mother
with other life demands, starting with your personal faith, your spiritual
community, secular work, and any of 101 other things that may be part of a
believing women's life. Being a disciple of Yeshua gives you resources others don't have, such as the
empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and the experience of His love and care for you.
Even if you don't get it all perfect sometimes, He is always there to make the
difference. Just knowing that builds courage to face the day and His peace in
your heart.
Then there is His Word, filled with such amazing wisdom and food for the soul!
To balance out the demands of life more easily remember these few Biblical
principles that help to make for a happy and productive life. How these will
apply in your life is something you will need to discern as you go, because of
individual circumstances, but here are a few general principles that have been
especially useful to praiseworthy women.
1. Prioritizing Your Relationship with your Father in Heaven
Your relationship with your Heavenly Father must be the foundation of your life.
Spending time in prayer, reading the Bible, and seeking His guidance will help
you navigate your responsibilities. The amazing thing here is, He wants to be a
part of every little thing going on in your life - and the big things too! Don't
hold back from telling Him everything. Of course, He already knows, but when you
are in constant communication with Him you are creating the opening for Him to
speak to you. Now, that's a real relationship!
"In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace
of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your thoughts in Messiah Yeshua." (Philippians 4:6-7)
2. Nurturing Your Marriage
A strong marriage is crucial for a stable family life. It takes two for this to
happen. Strive to make your husband's interests your own.
Build trust by communicating openly and honestly. Remember that nobody is
perfect, so instead of being a critic, be a prayer partner. You can't beat this
simple advice:
"However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves
himself, and the wife must respect her husband." (Ephesians 5:33)
3. Raising Your Children with Love, Guidance and Discipline
We all know our children need love and guidance. Strive to be a positive
role model and teach them according to biblical principles. They need
discipline too, but this is harder. Society today frowns on discipline, and
I grant you, it can be uncomfortable and unpleasant to be the "bad guy." Why
should you do that? Here's why:
"The rod of correction gives wisdom, but a child left to himself
causes shame to his mother. (Proverbs 29:15)
"Train up a child in the way he should go,and when he is old he will
not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6-7)
4. Balancing Secular Work and Family
Its best for a mom with young children to be in the home with her kids.
However, in today's world that is not always possible. Balancing work with
family responsibilities requires careful planning and flexibility. Set
realistic goals and boundaries to meet the needs of your family while also
meeting your work obligations. Granted, that's not easy, but who said life
was going to be easy? This is true: your family will see how hard you try,
and love will make the difference. Shalom.
"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her
tasks." (Proverbs 31:17)