God Chooses Different Paths for Every Mom by:Kimberly Chastain
A frequent comment I receive from Christian working moms is "I really want to be a stay at home Mom
, but we financially can't make it if I don't work." Also, some moms honestly share that they are jealous of the stay at home moms. I'm not saying that is true of everyone, but I have heard many moms wish they could stay home and wonder why they do not.
I wanted to point you to a fascinating story in the Bible that clearly points out to us that God has different paths for each one of us.
In Genesis 26:2, God says the following, "The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt, live in the land where I tell you to live." In Genesis 46:3-4 we see God telling Jacob, Isaac's son, something totally different, "I am God, the God of your father, he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there." I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."
So, how could God in one chapter tell one person not to go to Egypt and then years later tell someone else to go to Egypt? God's sovereign plan and will are the answer. It was not time for Isaac to go to Egypt, he was to follow the plan God set out for him. Yet, God had a different plan for Isaac's son, Jacob. He had Jacob go to Egypt. Did God change His mind? Absolutely not, God does not and cannot change, His character is perfect. God's timing is always right on schedule. It was not time for Isaac to go to Egypt, but in God's sovereign plan it was time for Jacob. Let me share with you a quote from Beth Moore in her Patriarch study, (p. 220), "God reserves the sovereign right to direct one of His children on a path He may have forbidden to another." What does that say to you?
What does this story say to us CWMs and possibly a reluctant CWM? I have often said one size does not fit all when it comes to staying at home or working outside of the home as a Christian. God rarely works the same way twice. He is too awesome and creative to do the same thing over and over again. If God did repeat Himself then we wouldn't give Him the credit for what He does in our lives. Dear CWM God has a sovereign plan for your life and it may not look at all like the same plan of the woman sitting next to you in church. God does not want cookie cutter Christians, He wants us to trust Him fully with our lives and trust Him to guide us in His plan for us. Now, all of that being said there are Biblical principles that we all follow as Christians.
The Bible is our source of wisdom and learning about what God has to say to us. Yet, the Bible does not say Kimberly you should be a therapist and a coach. The Bible does not say what your occupation should be. God gave each of us talents and gifts for us to use for His glory. We spend time with Him and seek His will for our individual lives and use the wisdom He has given us.
Can I say if you are working and don't want to be working, spend some alone time with God and ask if where you are right now is His sovereign plan for your life. If God's plan is for you to be working then accept that is what He has for you to do right now and do not be envious of a friend who stays at home. Ask God to shine His glory in your work place and in your home. Trust that God knows what He is doing. If He wants you in Egypt and has decided another woman is not to be in Egypt (figuratively speaking), God knows what He is doing and He is sovereign in your life.
My prayer is that God's sovereign will for you will fill you with hope and expectation. Expectation to see what is coming next. I can assure you that Jacob had to be fearful about going to Egypt and moving his entire family, but he followed God and trusted that God would go with Him. Whatever you are experiencing right now realize God is with you and it did not catch Him by surprise.
About the author
Kimberly M. Chastain, MS, LMFT is the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is the author of 2 ebooks, Pearls of Encouragement for Christian Working Moms and Help! My Preteen/Teenager is Driving me Nuts. You can find both of those books at www.christianworkingmom.com. Also, check out her blog and Online Bible Study as well. You can have coaching tips delivered to your email box daily, find out more at
http://www.kimberlychastain.com/cwmtips.htm.
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