By Virginia Knowles
Mom was pregnant and exhausted, Dad quit his job, the church had a huge conflict, and Grandma died of lung cancer. All this and more happened to our family in just 15 months. Yet we serve a Sovereign God! In fact, his power and wisdom have become more apparent and precious to us throughout our trials. We often hear "God is in control", but what does this mean? How does this work out in our families and homeschools?
God sovereignly brings about our redemption. He sought and saved me after I repeatedly rejected the Gospel. Since he showered such abundant mercy on me, I am passionate about following Him. As I disciple my children, I realize that I can't save them or force them to follow God. I can only point them to the Sovereign Lord who alone can transform their hearts.
God sovereignly chooses each of our children to be part of our families. Psalms 127 and 139 assure us that no child is an accident! I have nine children, toddler to 17, and people often joke, "Were all these children planned?" Of course! The best planner in the universe personally designed their DNA, unique talents, personalities, and learning styles. He uses each of them to polish my rough character. I am so blessed!
God's sovereignty transforms our concept of "success" in mothering and homeschooling. I must be faithful to what God assigns me, then patient as a gardener waiting for seeds to sprout. He adds my feeble efforts to his divine power, and brings forth his glorious harvest. Faithfulness in mothering means studying Scripture about how to teach and train my children. I must trust that he will lead me each step of the way. When I mess up, I pray that God will somehow use the situation for his good purposes as he shepherds my children past my mistakes. When I'm faced with a tough situation, God's sovereignty propels me to persevere. I know he has an answer to my problems if I search patiently!
God's sovereignty is apparent in the academic school subjects. A typical secular education leaves God out, but our privilege is to testify that our omnipotent, omniscient Lord is Sovereign over all! Use science to reveal the Creator's wonderful design. Use history and geography to unveil God's providence working throughout nations and generations. Use math to point out his orderliness. Use language to reflect his creativity and communicate his message. He is the Creator of Science, Master of Art, Hinge of History, King of Governments, Word Incarnate, Counter of Sheep, and Author of our Faith. Let all our thoughts be captivated by him!
God's sovereignty launches our children into adulthood. After investing deeply in their lives, learning to let go can be scary! My oldest daughter is on the launch pad now with an internship and various classes away from our house. She will likely go away to college soon. I'll miss each child terribly when they move away, but I am comforted that God ordained this season of life and will continue to guide them when they leave my care.
God's sovereignty helps us trust and respect our husbands. I am blessed to be married to a wonderful Christian man, but as in most marriages, we still have conflicts. It's tempting to push my agenda, but if my husband refuses permission even after a respectful petition, then I need to sweetly lay it aside. If God wants me to do it, the door will open at the right time! From Sarah's example in 1 Peter 3:1-6, I am reminded not to nag or fret, because God can use his chosen line of authority to accomplish his will. When my husband Thad decided to quit his full-time job, I replied, "Not until you have another lined up, please!" Then he explained his plans to complete several classes, oversee business matters for his widowed mother, and return to his career after our baby's birth. God gave me peace and acceptance, and then miraculously provided the finances. The "sabbatical" took more than a year longer than expected because Thad's mother was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He became her primary caregiver and estate manager, which he couldn't have done while working in a corporate setting. Providentially, she met the Lord in a personal way, which transformed her into a radiant witness in the valley of the shadow of death. When she died, we had the comfort that she had gone to be with her Savior and the confidence that our Sovereign God is still on the throne. Our husbands can't make any decisions that will put us beyond the Lord's loving reach!
God sovereignly leads us into ministry. Ephesians 2:10 says he "creates good works in advance for us to do"! I don't have to worry about fitting in all of God's jobs, since his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). When I'm tempted to overload, I ask God to reveal his priorities for me. In my youth, I planned to be a foreign missionary and felt insulted when he called me to mere marriage and motherhood in the USA. He changed my ministry focus so that now I write and publish homeschool books, as well as a free e-mail newsletter, The Hope Chest (www.thehopechest.net), which is sent to families all over the world. Because of this, I've had the opportunity to get involved in numerous overseas projects, still from my home. Better yet, my children have become equipped and eager for evangelism. As I tie their sneakers so they can go and give out Gospels of John, I recall that Ephesians 6:15 commands us to put on the shoes of readiness to share the gospel of peace. These may be small feet, but the Lord uses childlike faith to bring himself glory! God has opened the door to outreach through the path of motherhood! He is the one who will lead your family into ministry as you seek and obey his will.
God sovereignly weaves together every tiny detail of our lives. Nothing is beyond his control. When I run errands, I ask God to guide my path so I can be at the right places at the right times to meet the right people. I am continually amazed the "divine coincidences" that happen! I like to play a mental game called "I Spy God at Work in My Life" by noticing little "God things" where the Lord has shown himself faithful. I also like to play "Trace the Hand of God" by recalling unique situations which led to significant events like salvation, marriage, or the decision to homeschool. Even when "bad" things happen – like a child who can't seem to learn what I'm trying to teach, or a computer that crashes – I can still be confident that God will somehow bring good from it!
God's sovereignty has a sparkling sense of humor. Two years ago, our church suffered a huge conflict and lost its pastors. When my husband decided it was time to move on, I worried about making new friends. About that time, one of my newsletter readers invited us for dinner. I had never met her, so I reluctantly replied that Thad and I had better concentrate on building relationships in our new church. Imagine the sweet surprise of finding out a few weeks later that Mary Lou and her husband Rich were already members there! Rich is now our home group leader, and their friendship, counsel, and home-cooked meals have been priceless during our tough times. We chuckle every time I think about how I rebuffed their invitation. I imagine that God is chuckling, too. Far from dry impersonal fate, his sovereign plan is freshly creative. He loves to surprise and delight his children!
God sovereignly uses even the sin of others to put us in the place we need to be. While each person is accountable for his own sin, God is not handcuffed by it at all! He ties each loose strand of rebellion into his plan. Joseph, sold into slavery by jealous brothers, rose to power and saved whole nations from famine. His perspective toward his brothers: "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Our family life is often disrupted by the behavior of a foolish relative. I can release my bitterness by realizing I don't have to be a helpless victim of someone else's poor choices. God, our tower of refuge, still rules over all.
God is sovereign over our health. God holds every cell (even the mutant ones!) in the palms of his hands. I recently underwent extensive cancer testing and then thyroid surgery. The Lord blessed me with a surpassing sense of peace so that I can confidently testify about his control over my health – no matter what happens! I can also use the time I spend in waiting rooms to shine the light of Jesus into hurting and fearful lives.
God is sovereign in our weaknesses. When people ask me how I "do it all" I quickly reply, "The grace of God!" I’m a feisty, disorganized, pudgy, tired, forty-something mama! I see my shortcomings clearly, but rejoice to know God's power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). He helps me overcome these fleshly hindrances, and still brings forth fruit in the meantime! Often, trials come my way so I can comfort another mom. When I discretely share little struggles with my Hope Chest readers, they often tell me that this transparency helps them know they aren’t alone in their own rough spots.
God is sovereign, even when the suffering continues. Real life struggles don't always bring a tidy sense of closure. I know homeschool moms who endure debilitating illnesses, abusive or absent husbands, hostile relatives, and/or rebellious teens. "Why, God? What now?" I can't presume to give all the answers, but I do know that our gracious God uses suffering to refine us and bring forth pure gold, and to grow the fruit of compassion into others as we reach out with comfort and service. You may never be the next Corrie ten Boom or Elisabeth Elliot, but your testimony of God's faithfulness in your affliction will ripple outward and bring him glory in ways you could never imagine.
If you are struggling with life right now (and even if you aren't), I encourage you to open your eyes to God's sovereignty so you can respond with faith and faithfulness. "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey!"
Scriptures for further study:
Job 1:20-21
Psalm 66:8-12 and 71:5-6
Isaiah 40:10-11 and 61:10-11
Jeremiah 29:11 and 32:17
Daniel 4:17
Habakkuk 3: 17-19
Matthew 28:18-20
Romans 8:28-39 and 9:14-26 and 12:1-2
Ephesians 1:2-23
1 Timothy 6:15
James 1:2-18
Virginia lives in Maitland, Florida with her husband, six daughters, and three sons. She is the author of the books The Real Life Home School Mom and Common Sense Excellence: Faith-Filled Home Education for Preschool to 5th Grade, and designer of the Learner's Journal lesson planner and resource log. Be sure to see the reviews of two of Virginia's books on the TOS review web pages!
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