Does it seem impossible when you think about how to cultivate more peace in your home? Read on as Rebekah Hargraves shares 4 practical ways you can begin today.
Sometimes, the words “peace” and “mothering” just don’t seem to mix. Between all the household tasks, the tantrums, the training, the constant needs, and the loud voices calling “Mama!!!”, it can feel like trying to cultivate more peace is impossible.
I am of the belief, however, that even amid all the craziness and chaos which can be associated with motherhood, the Lord who came that we might have abundant life (John 10:10) and peace that passes all understanding (John 14:27) wants those very things for mamas, too. After all, mothers are doing Great Commission work, and our sweet Lord is so tender with those who are with young (Isaiah 40:11). He longs for us to feel the kind of inner peace He came to provide, the peace that can remain unshaken even on the hardest of days.
With that in mind, let’s look at 4 practical ways we can go about intentionally working to cultivate more peace into our days as moms.
1. Be in the Word.
This can feel almost impossible when we find ourselves in particularly busy seasons, but being in the Word is crucial. The alive and active Word of God is what gives us life, strength, hope, and vision for the work set before us. In fact, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 makes it clear that God’s Word is what equips us for every good work. The implication then is that if we are not in God’s Word, we are not equipped for the good work of mothering. Time with the Lord is that important. The deep inner peace we long for comes only from knowing the Lord. Knowing the Lord comes from reading His Word. To cultivate more peace we must be in it continually.
2. Mother by faith.
Oftentimes, my tendency is to fret myself into a tizzy trying to come up with the “perfect” parenting method or answer to a mothering question I have. Instead of looking to the experts who all say different things or falling prey to the mommy wars idea that there is one right way to do things (but then hearing the moms around me all espousing different ways!), there is a far better, more peaceful, less confusing way to go about parenting. James 1:5 promises us that if we ask the Lord for wisdom, He will give it to us. And wisdom from the One who knows our children better than anyone else does is far more beneficial than any wisdom we could ever acquire elsewhere!
3. Take some time for yourself.
We see throughout the Gospels that sometimes even Jesus separated Himself from the multitudes in order to spend some time alone (typically in communion with the Father). This regular practice equipped Him for the daily work of serving and ministering to the countless needs of the people around Him. The same can be said for us when we take the time to pour into ourselves – we are far better able to cultivate more peace in our homes and are better able to pour ourselves out to others!
4. Don’t base your identity on your motherhood.
There are three lies which are all inter-connected and very common in our day – the lies that 1) Motherhood is a woman’s highest calling, that 2) I am to find my identity in being a mom, and that 3) I am to find my ultimate fulfillment in motherhood. As soon as we begin to forget that our ultimate highest calling and greatest fulfillment is to be in the fact that we are image-bearers of God and ambassadors for Christ, then we are unable to base our identity where it was always meant to be placed — in Christ alone.
When we instead base our identity in motherhood, we rise or fall according to how our day goes. On the good days, we feel like awesome moms. But on the bad days, we feel like complete failures and disappointments. Instead, we need to be fixing our eyes firmly on Christ. Not on who we are, but on Who He is; not on what we do, but on what He did for us. This brings immeasurable peace!
Motherhood, albeit sacred, beautiful, vastly important work, is nevertheless, work that brings us to the end of ourselves and tests our peace on a daily basis. But glory be to God that He has not left us alone in our struggles. Instead, He has provided us with His Word, to which we are able to take every thought captive, have our minds renewed, and walk forth in the freedom and joy Christ secured for us on the cross. Look to Him, sweet mamas. That will make all the difference!
As an additional help to cultivate more peace in your home read:
Lies Moms Believe (and How the Gospels Refutes Them)
As moms, we have voices coming at us from all directions on a daily basis – voices from the culture, the church, the parenting “experts”, our own parents, and others. And you know what the real kicker is? The voices all vary in what they are telling us is true! As if this weren’t confusing enough, add to it the fact that we are daily bombarded by lies from our old enemy, Satan, as well, and we are left with an overwhelming cesspool of deception. But take heart, mama. There is good news! We are not left to our own devices in motherhood, desperately trying to sift through all the voices on our own. God, in His infinite mercy and grace, has provided us with unchanging truth in His Word that is able to combat each and every lie that could ever be thrown at us. We need only to study the Scriptures, seeking to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”.
That is the heart behind Lies Moms Believe. In this book, Rebekah seeks to show you once and for all that the Gospel is not simply Good News for your eternity. It is Good News for the here and now as well, and is relevant and applicable to each and every lie and struggle you face in motherhood. With warmth, transparency, and an unwavering passion for truth, Rebekah addresses 32 of the most common lies moms believe today about the importance of motherhood, children, the role of a mom, and more. Tackling such lies as: “I am to find my identity and ultimate fulfillment in motherhood”, “Mothering is unimportant work”, and “I have to be a perfect mom”, she shows how God’s Word applies to all the lies out there, whether practical or spiritual.
You will come away inspired, encouraged, and motivated as never before to live out your days as a mother with passion, joy, purpose, and freedom. As Jesus told us in John 8:32, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Rebekah Hargraves is a twenty-something Christian, wife, mama, homemaker, homeschool graduate, writer, home business owner, blogger, and Texas-native-turned-Tennessean. She lives with her husband and two kids. Visit her Website
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