God Is With Us. . . In Our Work
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. Proverbs 31:17
. . . If I was honest with myself, I wasn't looking to find God in my deadlines or my dishwater. Having a son was clearly a miracle. Having a career or taking care of my home - that was just what people did. So God in my mothering was clear to me. God in my time card or in making dinner, not so much. . .
God in our daily work, whether that work takes us downtown or down on the floor. He can illuminate what our work is when we turn to him for help in making decisions. Our time is time he's given us. Once I start seeing it that way, and asking how he wanted me to spend it, I didn't tend to worry as much about checking the "done" box.
Make no mistakes, nothing gets me going like accomplishing something - and work deadlines are real things - but God's got to be in the accomplishing or it's like eating a donut for energy; only fleeting satisfaction. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
God doesn't leave us alone in our tasks. He knows having children causes an identity shift, if not a crisis, in most women. We are told, "Do not lose heart. . . For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). We may miss having a title and a paycheck, or we may see the title and the paycheck differently now that we must leave little ones behind each day. Even on the best days, work is draining. We anticipate, we hope, we question our purposes and our methods, and we continually seek to juggle and balance. The unseen work constantly churns within us. But God sees it.
Strong women abound in the Bible, each with her own work to do. Hannah needed to be the mother of Samuel,and his long-awaited conception led him to great purpose in God's kingdom (see 1 Samuel 1-3). Deborah was needed to be judge in Israel; her ability to direct and delegate with wisdom led the Israelites to victory (see Judges 4-5). . .
Proverbs 31 is a well-known praise for all a woman does. Its litany of tasks might seem exhausting, but I think it's exhilarating to see that God knows all the often-hidden work we do, in and out of the home. The cornerstone of all these activities is revering God.
We seek the "right" way to do it all. But parenting is an inexact science. Co-workers will not always agree with our decisions. So we do our best and seek God's approval, not that of society or even that of friends or in-laws. He has work for each of us to do. Success and honor and worth come not from the task, but from letting him be God over them all.
-From Always There; "On the Move"; by Susan Besze Wallace
. . . If I was honest with myself, I wasn't looking to find God in my deadlines or my dishwater. Having a son was clearly a miracle. Having a career or taking care of my home - that was just what people did. So God in my mothering was clear to me. God in my time card or in making dinner, not so much. . .
God in our daily work, whether that work takes us downtown or down on the floor. He can illuminate what our work is when we turn to him for help in making decisions. Our time is time he's given us. Once I start seeing it that way, and asking how he wanted me to spend it, I didn't tend to worry as much about checking the "done" box.
Make no mistakes, nothing gets me going like accomplishing something - and work deadlines are real things - but God's got to be in the accomplishing or it's like eating a donut for energy; only fleeting satisfaction. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
God doesn't leave us alone in our tasks. He knows having children causes an identity shift, if not a crisis, in most women. We are told, "Do not lose heart. . . For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). We may miss having a title and a paycheck, or we may see the title and the paycheck differently now that we must leave little ones behind each day. Even on the best days, work is draining. We anticipate, we hope, we question our purposes and our methods, and we continually seek to juggle and balance. The unseen work constantly churns within us. But God sees it.
Strong women abound in the Bible, each with her own work to do. Hannah needed to be the mother of Samuel,and his long-awaited conception led him to great purpose in God's kingdom (see 1 Samuel 1-3). Deborah was needed to be judge in Israel; her ability to direct and delegate with wisdom led the Israelites to victory (see Judges 4-5). . .
Proverbs 31 is a well-known praise for all a woman does. Its litany of tasks might seem exhausting, but I think it's exhilarating to see that God knows all the often-hidden work we do, in and out of the home. The cornerstone of all these activities is revering God.
We seek the "right" way to do it all. But parenting is an inexact science. Co-workers will not always agree with our decisions. So we do our best and seek God's approval, not that of society or even that of friends or in-laws. He has work for each of us to do. Success and honor and worth come not from the task, but from letting him be God over them all.
-From Always There; "On the Move"; by Susan Besze Wallace
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