Over the last month or so, Dave and I have been talking about what we believe God has been changing in us. As I have thought through the areas that God is working on in me, I have come to recognise his work on my striving. I have always been a go-getter, someone keen to get out and grab hold of what comes my way. But in this, there is often the danger to resort to my own strength; pressing on with my own ambition and steam. Yet since having our third little bundle (almost a year ago!) I have been recognising my own steam is in short supply. I often don’t have a lot of it left. I am needing to say ‘no’ to things or else my family bear the consequences of my stress and over-committed calendar.

So at the start of this year, I decided to not have a whole heap of ‘goals’ and instead step back from lots of my commitments. I recognise that often we are looking for excuses to be able to not be involved in things, and that isn’t right either. Yet, I have come to see that the God who gave seasons in nature, also creates seasons in our lives. I am in the season of raising littlies and that takes a lot of energy and hands-on time. It also means routine naps and feeds and nappy changes.

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to interview Ginny Owens for the blog and review her new album “Love Be the Loudest.” It is still a favourite to listen to on our school-runs and the kids are so familiar with the songs they are enthusiastically singing along. One of the songs on the album is “How Much More” (Ginny Owens / Meredith Andrews / Andrew Bergthold, 2016) and it really speaks to this season of my life. (Here’s a link to the song here)

Some of the lyrics go:

Oh my soul, 

Why are you weary

When there is One who gives you rest?

Oh my soul

Why are you striving

When He is working for your best-

When will you believe

His love has made you free

He’s faithful to complete what He begins—

 

If He can hold the world

If He can clothe the flowers

How much more, how much more

Does He hold you?

If He can calm the storm

If He can see the sparrows,

How much more, how much more

Does He see you?

How much more, how much more

Does He love you?

So often, it seems we think we need to be shaking our children off our feet as we minister to the world. We forget that our ministry is firstly at home. In doing the mundane, God is creating a miracle- in our hearts and in the lives of the loved ones to whom we minister. Like King David, we can question “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation” (Psalm 42:5).

Instead of striving, dear friend, will you rest with me a moment. Let us swap our Martha-moments for a Mary-moment or two, just for a breath. For as Paul so eloquently declares:

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ – Acts 17:24-28

We can rest in him. Gaining strength for the day and hope for tomorrow, knowing that his grace is sufficient. In Him we are to live and move and have our being. We aren’t to be harried, we are to be purposeful. Whatever you are involved in, be encouraged. Know that God is at work in and through you. Sometimes for some of us it means doing less, sometimes for others it means getting off our butts and doing a little more. Whichever place, whatever season- may you spend time with Jesus and have his wisdom to know the difference and the courage to see it through.


Two great little resources: Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung or Shopping For Time by Mahaney et al.