The last week has been an intense one in the battlefield of my heart and my mind.It's been one of those weeks where obeying is more of a struggle and distractions catch the eye so much easier than usual. There's just been a great deal of spiritual warfare going on.
But, in my obedience-based quiet time this morning (no, I don't always wake up longing to spend time with Him... I am still so very weak and so very faulted) and yesterday, I have been thinking, pondering, meditating and really praying on how absolutely anti-biblical our culture is.
Our culture speaks death, Christ speaks life. Our culture speaks independence, Christ speaks dependence. Our culture screams self, Christ speaks others. Our culture screams equality, Christ speaks justice. Our culture speaks defense, Christ lived humility and self-sacrifice from a place of unconditional and unrequited love.
Even as an intercessor on behalf of my family; as I search out His Scriptures on what He requires from me as a wife, as a mother, as a woman, I see just how absolutely anti-cultural we are called to live. Our culture teaches us that as mothers we have rights, and utter control over our children to use as we please, for our personal gain.
All screams to self, when He is whispering that we should die. That His Higher Calling is found in the loss of ourselves. No, there's never ever a time where we can give too much. No, there is no cost too great. No, equality does not exist in a broken, fallen world and no, that is not what He desires us to pursue. He desires us, He desires our godliness, our holiness and His Justice to be established, for the sake of His name, not ours.
Self preservation is an art; and I've become an artist.
But beloved, His ways are better and His thoughts are higher. His ways lead to back Him.
So, He's calling us back to Himself; in a
As a wife, it means remembering in good and bad, highs and lows, when I'm feeling loved and when I'm feeling neglected that I married, not for the sake of happiness, but for the sake of holiness.
As a mom, it means remembering that I am my child's best friend, greatest role model, protector, nurturer and guide. It means that giving of myself will bring forth fruit in them. They are my ministry.
As a woman, it means finding myself in Christ and nowhere else. It means giving of myself over and over and over again until I feel like I can't give anymore... And then, keep giving. It means never seeking my own, but rather always seeking to love.
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." (Phill 2:3-4)
As a wife, mom, homemaker and individual, how do you feel led to live anti-cultural?
Well, in our house, God comes first, then Dad, then Mom and all the kids. And Dad is the priest of the home - his job is to listen to God's voice and lead us according to Him. He is not stupid or weird - like TV dads - he is smart, gifted, and respected! It's my job as wife and mom to go against what the world teaches (especially in America) about a woman's role as "the same as a man" or "better than a man." We are different, but not better than or less than. It's also not my role as mom to go make more money or go fulfill myself - I am called to be unselfish and sacrifice my own desires for the sake of my children. They are my true inheritance - and God sees those hidden moments, my inner longings, and counts them. It is a backward, upside down life we lead. Truly, you're so right when you say they are your ministry!
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