If you’re a husband or father in your household, than you fall into the same category as me… a leader.
Everyday is a schedule. It includes things you need to do for yourself, your work and your family. The things you do for yourself are most likely very common, almost mindless. There are the daily things you do to take care of yourself. These are great, but God requires more.
There are the things you need to do for work. Gather information, purchase materials or equipment and manage your meetings or schedules. This is what you get paid to do to support yourself and your family. Even though it is a must, God still requires more of you.
Your family and your relationship with God consists of the most important things you should be doing throughout your day. My daily challenge is intentionally making them a part of my day. For some reason, I can make the things I do for myself almost mindless, but the things I need to do to bless my family take hard work.
Why? Because although these are the most important tasks you need to be performing, they are also the ones the enemy will fight the hardest against. Arrows of distraction are going to be assaulted at you in every way to make sure you don’t seek ways to bless your family and your relationship with God. But even through that fight, God still requires it.
Over the past few years of listening to God, listening and learning from great speakers, and attending leadership classes, I have come across many forms and ways to keep myself focused and my daily walk on a straight path. The few ideas below have come from years of learning and applying. And even in this list, God still requires more of me.
Here are five ways you could be blessing your family every day:
1. Pray for your family before you leave the house each morning. Sounds simple right? Try it. Better yet, remember to do it. I have made it a habit that before I walk out the front door each morning and leave my wife and son alone for the day, to pray for them and bless their time together. Even though this only takes me less than a minute, I know God will take the prayer and apply it accordingly. If you experience a similar scenario each morning, challenge yourself to change your ways and pray before you leave your home.
2. Engage briefly during the workday. Co-workers, meetings, lunches and temptations. All of these distractions will most likely hit you doing your workday. Don’t think you can bless your family during this time? Don’t think you have the time? Wrong … Even saying another short prayer during the middle of your work day for your family could make an impact. Try sending your spouse or children a quick text to let them know your thinking about them or praying for them. Make it known that you are the leader by serving them when they least expect it.
3. Pray for yourself, your heart and your attitude when you leave work. I recently attended a marriage conference featuring author and speaker Dan Seaborn. Besides it being a great conference and making a great impact in our marriage, I picked up some really useful tips. Dan mentioned that he would leave work stressed and overwhelmed and take all of that pain home with him. This would always result in a rough experience at home upon his arrival. He decided to change the game. Instead of getting home unprepared, he started praying for his heart and attitude before he left for work. His wife didn’t even recognize him for the first few days. I challenge you to consider saying a short prayer before you leave work each day. Pray that God would prepare your heart and attitude for your family.
4. Engage in your family when you are home. Getting home and being the good husband or father is what you prayed for when you left work. Turn off the phone, kick off the television, and find out what happened during the day. Don’t make it all about you either, serve your spouse and children by helping them out in their situations. I, personally, have a long drive home everyday. When I pull in the driveway and start walking towards the door, I know I need to stay focused on those who are most important to me. I’ve been praying for my family, now I get to spend quality time with them. Don’t let this time go wasted.
5. Pray with and for you family often. Praying with and for your family was covered in each area above, but you need to engage in actual prayer with your wife and children. Let them know you are praying for their safety and protection each day when you are away and show them the same thing when you are with them. Show that you are the leader whether you are home or not. Remember, it doesn’t have to be long or drawn out; but it needs to be from the heart and it needs to be often. Get to work!
Share with the community. What is one thing you do to bless your family everyday?
Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today’s man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages and help them in grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood. Manturity.com features new weekly blog posts, daily social media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.
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Joseph Mattera 
BJ Foster 
Shelby Bowen