“Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!” (Romans 15:13 TPT)
As mentioned in a previous post, I was preparing for a presentation to a group on the topic of “Housekeeping Hacks: Creating an Environment for Your Family to Thrive.” It started as a conversation about keeping your house neat, clean, and orderly, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that God’s best for each household – each family – is more than whether the dishes are always done, the toys picked up, and the floors swept. I believe God wants each family to flourish, and that includes the spiritual/emotional atmosphere. Having a clean home is not wrong. But having a “perfect” home without a good attitude isn’t God’s best for us. A flourishing family does reflect God’s order, but also shows the Spirit’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and hope.
Question: How would you describe the environment (emotional/spiritual atmosphere) in your home on an “average” day? What words do you wish you could use to describe it? What might you want it to be? Peaceful? Loving? Orderly? Hopeful?
The Apostle Paul tells us that the atmosphere or environment we project to those around us comes from inside us. When we are living under Holy Spirit’s power, we share emotional and spiritual fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.” (Galatians 5:22-24 AMP)
Author Gregg Harris set up the following “21 Rules of This House” * to help their family focus on the things of the Lord in everyday, practical ways.
1. We obey God.
2. We love, honor and pray for one another.
3. We tell the truth.
4. We consider one another’s interests ahead of our own.
5. We speak quietly and respectfully with one another.
6. We do not hurt one another with unkind words or deeds.
7. When someone needs correction, we correct him in love.
8. When someone is sorry, we forgive him.
9. When someone is sad, we comfort him.
10. When someone is happy, we rejoice with him.
11. When we have something nice to share, we share it.
12. When we have work to do, we do it without complaining.
13. We take good care of everything that God has given us.
14. We do not create unnecessary work for others.
15. When we open something, we close it.
16. When we take something out, we put it away.
17. When we turn something on, we turn it off.
18. When we make a mess, we clean it up.
19. When we do not know what to do, we ask.
20. When we go out, we act just as if we were in this house.
21. When we disobey or forget any of the 21 Rules of This House, we accept the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
I will admit it is difficult to make all these happen all the time and, of course, easier to implement them when your children are young instead of when they are grumpy, self-centered teens. But when the Fruit of the Spirit is controlling our thoughts, words, and actions, I believe we can work toward creating an environment where all these can happen. The writer of Proverbs says, “Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation], and by knowledge its rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” (Proverbs 24:3-4 AMP). I want our household to be a place where godly wisdom, knowledge, and precious and pleasant riches – especially spiritual ones – are experienced and shared.
There are stages of life, seasons of time, and much truth in sayings like, “The days are long, but the years are short.” We should strive to be kind to ourselves and give ourselves grace. But we shouldn’t be lazy or not use the time God has given us. “And how good and delightful is a word spoken at the right moment—how good it is!” (Proverbs 15:23 AMP). Even if we are 99 miles from our 100 mile destination of an orderly, peaceful, joyful house, let us begin to move in that direction. “The journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step.” (Chinese proverb) After all, “Your progress will have no limits when you come along with me, and you will never stumble as you walk along the way.” (Proverbs 4:12 TPT) AMEN!
God,
Thank you for your Love and Spirit that you pour out on us when we know you as Lord and Savior. Forgive us when our thoughts, words, or actions do not adequately reflect your Grace on our lives. Help us to be people so immersed in your Word and Spirit that it overflows to those around us, especially in our households. Help us to take steps create atmospheres and environments of grace, love, hope, and peace. Help us to continue to journey toward the fullness of who you’ve created us to be, we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN.