In a world where advancing careers takes precedence over cultivating families, it can be so easy to overlook the importance of homemaking and learning how to be a homemaker. It’s almost becoming a lost art and one that is often underestimated in it’s value.
But the truth is that, at least from a Christian perspective, homemaking and raising families is one of the most important roles that God can bless you with as a Biblical woman. Because you, my happy mama, have the amazing opportunity of molding and shaping your children to be disciples for Christ.
It’s not just the oversees missionaries that have a role to make disciples, but you too have the responsibility of training up the fresh young minds that have been put into your care in the ways of the Lord. And homemaking plays a big role in that.
What is homemaking?
Before we learn about how to be a homemaker from a Christian perspective, let’s first take a look at what homemaking is and isn’t. There are a lot of misconceptions about homemaking. So let’s look at the definition of homemaking first. Which is “the creation and management of a home, especially as a pleasant place in which to live.”
So homemaking isn’t just cleaning, and it certainly isn’t spending the whole day watching soap operas in your sweat pants while the kids entertain themselves. Homemaking is creating and cultivating a place of refuge and a home filled with peace for your family.
Even those ladies who find themselves working outside of the home are still called to be homemakers. If we look to the Bible, the most famous picture of a virtuous woman, the Proverbs 31 woman, is seen being a hardworking homemaker as well:
“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” – Proverbs 31:27
It’s not a lazy role, and it certainly isn’t an easy role. But it’s a vital role. And that’s why it’s so important to do this for the glory of God. Because God-honoring homemaking can set the stage for your children’s lives as adults and as disciples of Christ. You can read more about the virtuous woman in my Proverbs 31 Bible study here.
How to be a homemaker for the glory of God
So, let’s dive deeper into the idea that being a homemaker is a ministry and a calling from God. If that’s the case then we need to really evaluate how we perform our duties as homemakers and take it more seriously.
Look at it this way: if you were to pursue a new career or hobby you would research and study and practice new skills that you would need for that career or hobby. In the same way, we need to treat homemaking as a career path, but more than that, as a very important mission from God.
So let’s have a look at a few ways that being a Christian homemaker differs from being a secular homemaker and how you can glorify God in this very special role.
Do your homemaking with all your might
In Ecclesiastes 9:10 the Bible tells us that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. And this simply means that whatever God calls you to do in life, give it your best and try your hardest. Don’t do it half heartily, but rather with your whole heart.
This translates to working hard at it every day, educating yourself in how to do it better, learning new skills, improving upon existing skills, and even having a good attitude towards the work involved every day.
So sit down and brainstorm skills and traits that you want to improve upon in regards to your homemaking. Make a list of things that you don’t know but would like to learn, and things that you know how to do but would like to get better at. Do you want to learn how to sew? Or maybe you can cook but would like to get better or learn how to make a favorite dish of your husband’s.
Whatever the case may be, perform your many duties in joy and with a heart that desires to improve and grow as a Christian homemaker.
Be a homemaker heartily unto the Lord
It can be easy to forget in the day to day hustle why we are doing all of this. As humans, our flesh can become selfish and think only of ourselves. But it’s important to refocus regularly on what’s important.
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24
Being a good homemaker takes a truly humble heart and continually reminding ourselves that ultimately we are homemakers because we love God and want to serve Him in all that we do.
God created the family unit, and the enemy is on a mission to destroy that every day. With ever-increasing divorce rates, abortion becoming acceptable, gender confusion and more. Every angle is being played at in an effort to destroy the beautiful work that God created when He designed families.
We may not be able to change the entire worldview, but we can start at home. We can raise families who fear the Lord above all else and who respect the morals and values that the Bible teaches us. This, my sister in Christ, is vital to the future of this world. We need to raise up the next generation of Christians to continue fighting the battle that we fight every day. The battle FOR God and His ways vs. following after the ways of the world.
Be a better homemaker as a ministry to your family
We minister to other people in whatever capacity we’re able to because God first loved us.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” – 1 John 4:11
We are even commanded by Jesus to love one other in the way that He has loved us:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” – John 13:34
So we love and minister to our families because: 1) God first loved us and we should share that with others, and 2) because Jesus commanded us to.
Although we are inclined to love based on feelings, we can’t always trust our feelings. The Bible says that the heart can be deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). So what happens is if we become hurt or mad at a member of our family, we tend not to show them the love that God has commanded us to show.
Therefore, instead of loving your family based on how you feel, learn how to be a homemaker that ministers to them as Jesus ministers to us. Intentionally, selflessly and with the humble heart of a servant.
Stay organized and with lists, routines, and schedules
The main focus of this post isn’t on the practical aspect of homemaking, but rather the spiritual. However, I wanted to throw in a practical tip that will actually help you to serve more joyfully and effectively. And that is to stay organized by utilizing routines, schedules, and task lists
If you search Pinterest or Google you can find all sorts of practical ideas here.
But let’s talk about why this will help you spiritually. While it might seem like a superficial thing, staying organized actually helps you to be less stressed and being less stressed can in turn help you to better serve your family. Stress can open doors to anger and frustration. And that certainly doesn’t help you to minister effectively or to serve God joyfully.
So, make a plan to get yourself organized. Try out different routines and schedules that will reduce your stress along the way. Don’t give up until you find something that works for you and your family. It might take time to find just the right setup which will help you to manage your home in the most efficient way possible.
Give yourself the grace to not be perfect
One of the biggest challenges you’ll probably face as a homemaker is being too hard on yourself. You will always be your worst critic. It’s especially difficult when you begin comparing yourself to others.
Sometimes striving for perfection can actually have the opposite affect, it can discourage you to the point where everything falls apart and you then get nothing done.
So give yourself grace, as God has given you. Try your best and pray for the rest. Lean into God for all that you do.
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” – James 4:6
Keep your relationship with God your #1 priority
Let’s face it. Being a homemaker can easily become so overwhelming and stressful. That is, if we are relying on our own strength to do it. But the Bible says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.
“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” – Mark 12:28-30
Jesus commands this of us not just for God’s glory but for our own good. We need God. When we try to accomplish things, including homemaking, with our own strength we often fail and get discouraged.
So putting God first in your life every day should be a strategic part of your homemaking plan. This means making prayer and Bible study a vital part of your schedule every day.
When you lean into the strength God offers, He will give you everything you need to learn how to be a homemaker that glorifies Him in all that you do.
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