Laundry as Worship

(Guest Post by Jessica Bunce)

While folding these tiny little socks, and realizing that some no longer have matches, it struck me that folding laundry is an act of service and worship to the Lord. 

As I write this, I’m acutely aware I was grumbling about how this load of clothes had been in the dryer for two days and the other load had been folded and was still sitting on the ironing board for three.

Wishing for Disney princess status, I imagined the laundry magically springing out of the dryer, floating onto hangers, and alighting satisfactorily into the closet, all to the tune of an enchanting little working song!

While that would be nice and far more time efficient, that is not the reality in which I live. 

In reality, I have a better status than a Disney princess, a better title, a better King. 

As a Christian, my status is a Redeemed Daughter of the King. The gospel reminds me that I was bought with a price and given the task of glorifying God with my every breath (including the breaths needed to do laundry).  

Laundry is an essential service we do for our families, and yet so often, it’s easier to complain and grumble about its necessity than to rightly order our thoughts and hearts to the truth that as Christians, we should be doing all for God’s glory. 

“The gospel reminds me that I was bought with a price and given the task of glorifying God with my every breath”

Jessica Bunce

Do you think of washing, drying, folding, and putting away laundry as worship? 

What does this look like?

You may say, “I’ve already miserably failed to do this today. What do I do now?”

My response would be: “Me too, friend. This morning! (Hah). But you don’t have to stay there.” 

How then do we rightly respond to this conviction? 

Repent: Confess to the Lord your grumbling and ungrateful heart, and plead with Him to remove your idol of desiring comfort and ease. 

Remind: Preach the Gospel to yourself: that you were once condemned in sin, but that Jesus removed that condemnation on the cross, dying for your sins, and has now freed you from sin’s power. In Christ, you now have the ability to put off grumbling and put on thankfulness. 

Pursue: Ask the Lord to grow in your heart the desire to serve your family and ultimately Him with joy and gratitude. 

Status as a Disney princess would rob me of the privilege of serving my family, and therefore, my King. So friend, let’s use our laundry time today to bring honor and glory to God. He’s worth it.