When the day is dark and gloomy
and the fog obscures your view,
And you feel there is no challenge
waiting anywhere for you;
When it’s routine you must follow
through a dreary weather chart,
And you feel the hand of duty
like a millstone on your heart;
Face the skies however darkened,
when you ache to turn away
Do the job that lies before you,
Do the job that lies before you,
keep your courage one more day.
.
You can never guess how often
you affect another’s life
By the fact you are a doer
not a quitter in the strife.
As I write this, I am certain there are many of you who feel the hand of duty heavy upon your heart. You find it hard to see beyond the clutter and chaos of dirty laundry and housework; beyond the 9 - 5 routine. Being a wife and mother involves more than you ever thought possible – making ends meet in a thousand ways from taking children to doctor and dentist appointments to chauffeuring kids from activity to activity. Many of you also try to balance working outside the home and virtually collapse into bed at the end of the day from complete exhaustion.
Some of you, no doubt, would love to simply run away from the life you have chosen, not because you don’t love your family, but rather because this just isn’t the life you thought you’d be living. Obviously, while it sounds good at times; abandoning our obligations is not a course of action that is possible. It's also not a course of action that pleases God. He expects us to persevere through our pain, through our disappointments, and to accomplish the task that lies before us, the task He has given us to do.
As Christian wives and mothers, it is our goal to glorify God in all that we do, even if the work is drudgery, even if the work offers no challenge whatsoever. And let’s face it, housework, laundry, and a host of other daily duties offer little in the way of challenge. Most of this work is exhausting, unfulfilling, and never ending, yet it is work that must be done to create an atmosphere in the home where our husbands and other family members look forward to gathering.
If we are bitter about our role as wife and mother, we will influence others in the home to think the same way, robbing everyone – including ourselves, of joy. Perhaps you find yourself struggling emotionally with self-pity or feelings of not being appreciated by your family. Perhaps you feel used. Quite possibly, you are exhausted trying to keep up with the day-to-day demands of motherhood and you feel as if no one understands the extent of your despair. If this describes how you feel at this moment, Jesus is ready and willing to help you. Comfort and healing are as close as the arms of our Lord, who knows our pain, shares our anguish and offers His peace.
A wife and mother who has a gentle and quiet spirit provides a calming and reassuring atmosphere in the home. Her inward beauty draws those around her to love her. She is a joy to be around because she has found joy in the Lord and in the work He has given her to do. If you are struggling with following a routine that seems like drudgery at best, take courage from the Lord and persevere, knowing that you are working for Him, fulfilling His goal for your life, and, at the same time, positively affecting the lives of those around you.
This week I challenge you to do the work set before you with a different mindset. Today instead of doing your work for your employer, husband, or children, do it for the Lord, remembering He is the one you are serving in all that you do.
As I write this, I am certain there are many of you who feel the hand of duty heavy upon your heart. You find it hard to see beyond the clutter and chaos of dirty laundry and housework; beyond the 9 - 5 routine. Being a wife and mother involves more than you ever thought possible – making ends meet in a thousand ways from taking children to doctor and dentist appointments to chauffeuring kids from activity to activity. Many of you also try to balance working outside the home and virtually collapse into bed at the end of the day from complete exhaustion.
Some of you, no doubt, would love to simply run away from the life you have chosen, not because you don’t love your family, but rather because this just isn’t the life you thought you’d be living. Obviously, while it sounds good at times; abandoning our obligations is not a course of action that is possible. It's also not a course of action that pleases God. He expects us to persevere through our pain, through our disappointments, and to accomplish the task that lies before us, the task He has given us to do.
As Christian wives and mothers, it is our goal to glorify God in all that we do, even if the work is drudgery, even if the work offers no challenge whatsoever. And let’s face it, housework, laundry, and a host of other daily duties offer little in the way of challenge. Most of this work is exhausting, unfulfilling, and never ending, yet it is work that must be done to create an atmosphere in the home where our husbands and other family members look forward to gathering.
If we are bitter about our role as wife and mother, we will influence others in the home to think the same way, robbing everyone – including ourselves, of joy. Perhaps you find yourself struggling emotionally with self-pity or feelings of not being appreciated by your family. Perhaps you feel used. Quite possibly, you are exhausted trying to keep up with the day-to-day demands of motherhood and you feel as if no one understands the extent of your despair. If this describes how you feel at this moment, Jesus is ready and willing to help you. Comfort and healing are as close as the arms of our Lord, who knows our pain, shares our anguish and offers His peace.
A wife and mother who has a gentle and quiet spirit provides a calming and reassuring atmosphere in the home. Her inward beauty draws those around her to love her. She is a joy to be around because she has found joy in the Lord and in the work He has given her to do. If you are struggling with following a routine that seems like drudgery at best, take courage from the Lord and persevere, knowing that you are working for Him, fulfilling His goal for your life, and, at the same time, positively affecting the lives of those around you.
This week I challenge you to do the work set before you with a different mindset. Today instead of doing your work for your employer, husband, or children, do it for the Lord, remembering He is the one you are serving in all that you do.
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