“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

How many diapers do you change in a day? How often do you wipe runny noses? How many loads of laundry do you do each week?

“Mommy, can I have a snack?”

“Mommy, I need to go potty.”

“Mommy, he hit me!”

Is this your life? It’s pretty close to mine. Motherhood is a seemingly endless cycle of childcare, doctoring, training, cleaning and feeding. Rarely is there any reward for your work. Except for the occasional smiles, hugs, and kisses, it’s a tedious job with no end in sight.

Does any of this effort matter? All these loads of laundry we do and all those snacks we hand out, none of it seems to change the world in any way. At the end of the day, it doesn’t seem like anything grand has been accomplished.

Take a deep breath. Don’t despair. Scripture says our labor is not in vain. Motherhood is a ministry done at the pace of a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a long-term commitment of faithful service in the investment of our children’s hearts.

Children are precious in the sight of God. He sees our work, the sacrifices made for our children, and it pleases Him. Mothers live out their faith by investing in the eternal souls He’s placed in their care. Every diaper that’s changed, every nose that’s wiped, and every load of laundry that’s cleaned, is done for the honor and glory of God.

Don’t give up. Continue on the path He’s laid out for you. Mothering can be a lonely job, but you are not alone. The Spirit is there and He will strengthen you to continue to love and serve your family. Keep walking forward, one step at a time, trusting in the Lord’s promises. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

For further reading: Psalm 118, 1 Peter 1:13, Deuteronomy 6:1-9, James 1:12, Proverbs 31

Copyright © 2012 Christina Fox, All Rights Reserved

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“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

Vain: Producing no result; useless

When I first started online with the desire to make a difference and serve the Lord through my writing, I often held onto the scripture above.

Often I ask myself “Why am I doing this?” Sometimes this is in reference to homeschooling my three kiddos, being a stay at home mom, or even my writing. Recently I spoke out loud about my frustrations to my family and my youngest wisely spoke up and said: “Mommy, DON’T give up!” and my husband followed with: “Wait on God’s timing.” These words are truly encouraging words, and in this scripture God is encouraging you to do the same thing with whatever it is you are doing for HIM!

SO many times in our life we can often wonder if what we do is really making a difference. Especially if we have yet to see any fruit from our labor. But this scripture is so encouraging, it’s one of God’s many beautiful promises that EVERYTHING we do for Him will never be in vain. Whether it be holding our tongue out of respect of the other person, or even the mundane tasks associated with being a mom, like dishes and yes even LAUNRDY, everything we do for the Lord has meaning. Everything we do for Him, and because of Him, will one day produce fruit. This is God’s promise to you.

So when you begin to wonder if what you are doing to serve Him really matters, just remember His promise to you in this scripture, and know that God is telling you to NOT give up, and wait on HIS perfect timing.

Prayer:

Dear God, Oh how impatient I am. Oh how restless I get. You know this, and yet you never get restless or impatient with me. Lord I am hanging onto your promise that everything I do for You and because of You will never be done in vain. As I work through my desire to give up and pursue something easier, more profitable, more about me, I pray for Your loving guidance and direction. Lord show me the way. Let me know in my heart what You know. Lord I ask for you to once again line my heart up with Yours. I pray this in Jesus’ name. – Amen!

Copyright © 2011 Heather Bixler, All Rights Reserved

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