Daily Focus - Down, but Not Out

You know your homeschooling day hasn't gone well when your husband comes home from work and finds you crying. Some days being a Christian and a homeschooling mom puts you into situations that tear you down and bring you to tears. The rejection by others overwhelms, frightens, angers, and discourages you. The world does all it can do to convince you that you are a fool for following Christ and His call to educate your children.

Opposition to following God's plans is nothing new. In the Bible, Nehemiah faced ridicule for carrying out God's plan to rebuild the broken wall around the city of Jerusalem. Led by the Lord to return to Jerusalem after years of exile, Nehemiah faced a huge task and the negative harassment from enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah (Nehemiah 4). The secret of Nehemiah's success in rallying the workers and overcoming his enemies' discouragement is said in verse 16a: "And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons." Praying to the Lord and setting their mind to work, Nehemiah grouped the people together to build the portion of the wall nearest their homes. With half of the people standing guard and half of the people building the wall, the work was soon finished in the face of those who opposed them.

As homeschoolers, we need to set our minds to the work of educating our children. Divide the task of homeschooling your children. Enlist the prayer support of your spouse, homeschooling friends, or others who will guard your back with the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) against Satan's fiery darts of discouragement. God's strength is available to succeed, but you must set your mind to work and pray.

Father, the task of homeschooling seems huge, and the discouragement I am facing today seems even larger. Help me set my mind toward the work of homeschooling our children today and send prayer warriors who are willing to defend me. In the name of Jesus, Amen.