Is This My
Ministry?
When you're elbow
deep in dirty dishes, or nose deep in smelly laundry, God's purpose for your
life is probably the most elusive of concepts. It is so hard to see the eternal
impact of what you are doing in that moment. These are the times when the enemy
usually succeeds in discouraging us. We give in to the sense of hopelessness,
loss of direction and we may even wind up wading in a pool of self-pity--a
substance far smellier than your son's gym clothes!
The problem we have
with doing housework is that it is so daily. It is a never-ending stream of
tasks with no real feeling of having attained a goal. Even when you get it all
done today, it will still have to be done tomorrow. It is discouraging and frustrating
and for most of us, not even slightly fulfilling.
To overcome this, we
will have to make our minds about something. We have to realize that there is
genuine value in seeing our home as our first ministry. It doesn't have to be
our only ministry, but it needs to be first. When we list our priorities, our
head, our accumulated knowledge tells us that we should have them in this
order: God, Family, Country (or something like that).
I could go on and on
about how putting God first will reap tremendous benefits in your life. I'm
pretty sure that you know that in your heads. Walking it out - now that's a
different story. So let's try a back door approach. Remind yourself, each time
you tackle one of those tedious chores, that this is the most important job I
have to do today, because it's just me and God. Take the opportunity, while
your brain doesn't have to be engaged in high gear while your hands are busy,
to talk to God - and listen. Sing praises, meditate on a scripture, make mental lists of things
you're grateful for. All the things that you can do to point your heart in the
direction of loving God.
You will reap two
rewards. One, the chores will be done, two, you'll find yourself closer to God
in so many ways. What is happening is you are walking out this scripture:
"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and
My burden light." Matt. 11:28-30 (Holman CSB).
You didn't avoid the
work - that's not the rest Jesus promises us. He says take up His yoke and
learn from Him. Taking up the yoke and learning are both active processes.
Jesus is not promising us lack of work, but accomplishment without burnout.
There is supernatural power available to us to accomplish all that we must do,
without risk of burnout, through this simple concept. Perhaps you've heard it
referred to as walking in the Spirit. While that sounds highly spiritual and
enlightened, what it really means is that you are in such close relationship
with Christ that your daily activities become weightless, the burden of them is
lifted because you are supernaturally empowered to accomplish them, and you do
not suffer burnout.
Yet another blessing
in all of this is the change in attitude and it's effect in your home. When you
find yourself doing the chores joyfully, because in His presence, there is
fullness of joy, it affects the people around you. Strife is no longer plaguing
your household. A home full of joy is a place where your family wants to be,
and your relationships will be enriched.
This is not some
pie-in-the-sky, ultra-spiritual concept. 1 Thess. 5:16-22 tells us
"Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is
God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Don't stifle the Spirit. Don't despise
prophecies, but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every
form of evil." (Holman CSB) This is worship. This is what it is to dwell daily in the
presence of God. To make ourselves a living tabernacle, a dwelling place for
the Most High God. It is a mighty undertaking that Jesus says He will make
effortless for us, if we will just come to Him.
I urge you to try
this. The next time you are facing a dreaded household chore - put on some
praise music, or recite your favorite Bible verse, or just talk to God like
He's standing right there next to you at the sink. He longs to lift us up, but
He can only do that when we ourselves are humble. There nothing more humble
that being on your knees scrubbing a toilet and giving thanks to God for having
a pot to….well, you get my drift.
