Do You Really Feel the Tension to Care for Your Home?

When my friends and I get together in our spare time, we catch up about families and work and life. Then we move on to how we feel about our homes. You know what always comes up?

We’re tired.

No matter what we actually accomplish, it never seems like enough.

Even though each of us are completely aware of every task that’s necessary, we still feel unable to get started.

Exhaustion, overwhelm, stress, and failure never leave us. Sometimes we can block these tensions out with the sheer amount of busyness in life, but they always find a way to resurface,

Can you relate?

What’s the culprit?

So many culprits lurk behind the tensions we feel when it comes to our homes: our cultures, our families, our possessions, and ourselves, just to name a few.

Whether we realize it or not, some of the tensions come from outside sources that we can’t control. Other tensions, internal ones, run much deeper.

While the pressures and influences that come from external sources are strong and can intensify when we least expect them to, sometimes those internal expectations and stressors are infinitely worse. Unfortunately, we are often our own worst enemies.

What’s so overwhelming?

The tensions themselves may not seem that intense, at least from the outside looking in. What is intense are the ways we internalize and amplify certain issues until they overwhelm us.

So many external pressures from the world and internal tensions from ourselves have uncanny ways of pushing us toward feelings of failure and discouragement. Instead of recognizing and celebrating the wins that happen in our homes, we’re left mentally bullying ourselves, thinking we need to do more and be more.

All the tension can feel like a taut rope wrapping around us, making it hard to move or even breathe. But there’s a way to cut this stranglehold and free ourselves. That freedom can be found in the sword of the Spirit, better known as the Word of God.

Truth instead of tension

God’s truths in the Bible—especially in the Psalms—are just as timely and effective right now as when they were first written thousands of years ago. They can help us deal with the universal feelings of frustration and exhaustion in our homes. Scripture’s principles are much more promising and helpful than popular, pithy sayings we’re inundated with daily.

For every catchy phrase that encourages us to do more, be more, work harder, or make things happen in our own strength, the Bible is brimming with grace-filled reminders.

Instead of making us feel like we need to wear ourselves out trying harder, God’s truth ministers to us in our deepest parts. It gets to the root of things. It speaks to our hearts.

It’s this timeless truth you and I need to break free from the overwhelming feelings of doubt, defeat, and discouragement. It’s this timeless truth that can break through the tension of tidy we experience.

Read more about twelve common tensions and the truth that can set you free in Hilary Bernstein’s brand-new book, The Tension of Tidy: Uncovering God’s Grace for Your Imperfect Space, published by Kregel Publications. If you pre-order the book before January 28, you’ll have instant access to four bonus materials: 101 Tension Tamers, 12 printable quotes, 7 Perspective Changers, and a Psalm Reflection Journal.

Photos courtesy of Lightstock and Kregel Publications

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Hilary

Hilary Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, homeschooling mama, and writer who believes every Christian woman can live with peace and purpose. She's happiest when she's hosting friends and family for dinner, going on date nights with her husband, singing along to the radio, traveling with her family, and spending cozy nights at home. The author of fifteen books,Hilary also is Women's Ministry Director at The Chapel in Green, Ohio.