Reason #894
It's the mundane that prepares us. At least, that's what I am learning. It's through the persistent repetition that we start to get it. We start to learn, grow, and we improve each time. But hanging in there is the key.
I picked up on week two of the study of Gideon tonight and I was reminded of how God's blessings are in the mundane. Laundry is not my favorite chore. Of course, I could be using a washboard and hanging my clothes on the line to dry rather than throwing them in machines that do all the work. That right there is a blessing, isn't it? Not everyone in the world has a washer and dryer in their home. Not every home has running water and electricity. And not every person has excess clothing to wash. Break it down like that and we should be praising God every time we do a load of laundry, shouldn't we?
But what does laundry really do for us? How does doing the laundry change us or prepare us for the future? Well, if you're anything like me, you've had to learn how to do your laundry. I grew up with a mom who ran the laundry service at our house, and so I wasn't fully responsible for washing my clothes until I moved out. I learned how to do my laundry so I didn't look like Pigpen. And because I knew how to clean and iron my clothes, I was able to have nice clothes to interview for a job in. And because I looked the part and got a job, I could afford to have clothes and clean my clothes. And then, because I learned how to do my laundry, I was able to easily add to and handle an additional pile of clothes when Aaron and I got married. (Although he is so good to help me with laundry.) And since I have learned how to do laundry for myself and for another person, then I should easily be able to add to that in the future. Diligently doing laundry every week has prepared me for some of the things God had in store for me, and I'll admit, I still have some learning to do. My mom still gets phone calls every now and then with laundry questions, and of course, after having raised children and done laundry for 30+ years, she has been prepared to give me the right answers.
But we don't see that in the mundane. We don't see how God is teaching and preparing us. One of the desires of my heart is to be a mother one day. All moms need to know how to wash clothes so their children have something to wear. Sure, laundry seems like a really tedious, insignificant task, yet there are not only blessings in it but also preparation. And maybe, for you, it isn't laundry. Maybe it's some other task that you feel like doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. But what if God allowed you those specific tasks to teach you? What if you were grateful for the opportunity to perform that task each time you did? Maybe then you'd see it in a different light. Maybe you'd begin to see purpose. Maybe your heart would become more grateful. And who knows, but maybe, just maybe, you'd begin to see God working through you and in you as you faithfully performed that mundane task every week.
Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31) Even laundry. Cleaning, washing dishes, walking the dog, mowing the yard, cooking dinner, or taking out the trash. Give Him the glory. Thank Him for all that it entails and involves, even if it seems small and simple. And look for Him in those very things. Allow your heart to be open and vulnerable. Let Him teach you. Let Him prepare you for whatever lies ahead. And don't give up. Keep doing what you're doing and ask that God will use it somehow. He will, you just never know how. One day, it will happen, and you know what, you'll be prepared for it.
#894 - Because He prepares us for great things through the everyday mundane.
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!" - Matthew 25:21
I picked up on week two of the study of Gideon tonight and I was reminded of how God's blessings are in the mundane. Laundry is not my favorite chore. Of course, I could be using a washboard and hanging my clothes on the line to dry rather than throwing them in machines that do all the work. That right there is a blessing, isn't it? Not everyone in the world has a washer and dryer in their home. Not every home has running water and electricity. And not every person has excess clothing to wash. Break it down like that and we should be praising God every time we do a load of laundry, shouldn't we?
But what does laundry really do for us? How does doing the laundry change us or prepare us for the future? Well, if you're anything like me, you've had to learn how to do your laundry. I grew up with a mom who ran the laundry service at our house, and so I wasn't fully responsible for washing my clothes until I moved out. I learned how to do my laundry so I didn't look like Pigpen. And because I knew how to clean and iron my clothes, I was able to have nice clothes to interview for a job in. And because I looked the part and got a job, I could afford to have clothes and clean my clothes. And then, because I learned how to do my laundry, I was able to easily add to and handle an additional pile of clothes when Aaron and I got married. (Although he is so good to help me with laundry.) And since I have learned how to do laundry for myself and for another person, then I should easily be able to add to that in the future. Diligently doing laundry every week has prepared me for some of the things God had in store for me, and I'll admit, I still have some learning to do. My mom still gets phone calls every now and then with laundry questions, and of course, after having raised children and done laundry for 30+ years, she has been prepared to give me the right answers.
But we don't see that in the mundane. We don't see how God is teaching and preparing us. One of the desires of my heart is to be a mother one day. All moms need to know how to wash clothes so their children have something to wear. Sure, laundry seems like a really tedious, insignificant task, yet there are not only blessings in it but also preparation. And maybe, for you, it isn't laundry. Maybe it's some other task that you feel like doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. But what if God allowed you those specific tasks to teach you? What if you were grateful for the opportunity to perform that task each time you did? Maybe then you'd see it in a different light. Maybe you'd begin to see purpose. Maybe your heart would become more grateful. And who knows, but maybe, just maybe, you'd begin to see God working through you and in you as you faithfully performed that mundane task every week.
Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31) Even laundry. Cleaning, washing dishes, walking the dog, mowing the yard, cooking dinner, or taking out the trash. Give Him the glory. Thank Him for all that it entails and involves, even if it seems small and simple. And look for Him in those very things. Allow your heart to be open and vulnerable. Let Him teach you. Let Him prepare you for whatever lies ahead. And don't give up. Keep doing what you're doing and ask that God will use it somehow. He will, you just never know how. One day, it will happen, and you know what, you'll be prepared for it.
#894 - Because He prepares us for great things through the everyday mundane.
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!" - Matthew 25:21
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