All for His Glory

Real life is enjoying a yummy cup of coffee at a cute coffee shop. Real life is also the dishes back at home that need to be washed, dried, and tucked away in cabinets and drawers. Life is full of both of these kinds of moments… the ones we post on social media and the ones that no one would really care to see, because they’re not as, well, picturesque.

It’s easy to rejoice in one of these things… it’s not as easy to rejoice in the other. It’s easy to drink a delicious beverage with a singing heart, but not quite as easy when I’m scrubbing crayon marks or changing sheets.

But, isn’t there a call on my life to rejoice as I do both? Doesn’t Scripture say “whether you eat or drink, or *whatever you do,* do all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31, emphasis mine)? Do I bring glory to Him when I delight in a latté, but grumble over the God-given tasks of caring for my home and family? Too often I find myself living hypocritically… too often I begrudge the very work that matters for eternity, the opportunities I have to love and serve and give of myself where it matters the most.

This is where Jesus needs to come in and transform my view of those mundane moments of life that feel “less than,” that can make us feel like the best is passing me by. He says that these tasks that are not all that noteworthy to the world are noteworthy to Him. 

I continually need to remind myself that the work of mother and homemaker are roles God places value on (Titus 2:3-5). We live in a world where these roles are devalued. Maybe it’s because they don’t bring in any income. Maybe because they don’t give the opportunity to be in front of an audience. Maybe it’s because there’s no opportunity to climb a corporate ladder. Maybe it’s because caring for children isn’t glamourous (I accidentally spelled it that way, and I’m gonna leave it that way because of my Canadian citizenship ;). Maybe because at the end of the day there’s not much outwardly to show for it. Whatever the reasons, it’s not something the world highlights as the epitome of success. 

This is because it’s work that requires humility. It’s work that shows us how inadequate we are… how much we need someone beyond ourselves to give the joy, the strength, perseverance it takes to do the same things day after day–when the laundry piles up again and the toddler continues to throw tantrums no matter how many times you’ve instructed otherwise. When it’s time for me to slip away to a coffee shop to work on an article, it feels more productive. But the reality is, my writing holds no weight at all if there is no faithfulness behind-the-scenes. If it’s not backed up by obedience to Jesus when no one is watching. The unseen moments matter just as much in light of eternity as the seen ones (Matthew 6:3-4).

Maybe for you it’s not motherhood right now. Maybe it’s something else God has called you to in this season of life. What I’ve come to realize more and more  is that no matter what God’s calling is for us, it takes grace, wisdom, strength, and patience beyond ourselves. We’re called to things that reveal our weakness so that His power can be shown as perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9).
I’m so grateful that Jesus is perfectly faithful—that He convicts and forgives and brings renewed vision for the work He puts before us. He gives joy and patience and strength and grace for another day. And that when we do all for His glory, there is joy in both the treats and the tasks.

Your friend,