Not only did God create us with a specific set of tasks in mind (see Ephesians 2:10), He gave us a specific set of gifts and abilities to enable us to accomplish those very same tasks (see 1 Peter 4:10). Along with those gifts and abilities, He had in mind a specific time table, a schedule of events, so to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven." God never intended for us to immediately do everything we will ever be capable of doing. He grows us, matures us, and completes us on His time table – just in time for us to be used in each task He expects us to accomplish.

I often see young mothers wrestle with this concept. They realize God has given them certain abilities, and they are eager to serve Him with those abilities. However, they have very young children who need them. They become confused about where they should focus their attention, and they either over-commit themselves and become completely stressed out when they realize they can’t do it all, or they wind up feeling guilty because they aren’t participating in more areas of service.

In the midst of caring for little ones, we often feel we have lost our identity – our place in this world - and we begin to feel that it will be this way forever! But God has a schedule. He has planned every detail of our lives. Did you know God’s Word says He even chose the time and the place where we would live (see Acts 17:26)? He knows a young mother has many responsibilities, and His Word says she is to be busy at home (see Titus 2:4-5). He knows small children need more of her attention (see Isaiah 49:15a), and He knows that, as her children become more independent, she will become more available for service in other areas.

If God has blessed your family with young children, He will also bless you with the time you need to raise those children to a certain level of independence before He gives you another big, time-and-attention consuming task to accomplish. God’s plan will never have time conflicts. In other words, He will always bless you with the appropriate amount of time to accomplish whatever task He has given you. This is not to say that, if you have young children, you will have to be content with being a bench-warmer just sitting on the sidelines while everyone else is being used by God. He will most certainly be giving you opportunities to serve Him and fellowship with others who are serving. But those tasks will never conflict with, or take away the time necessary to complete, your primary task, or ministry, for this season.

While the ministry of raising our children and keeping our homes in order is not the most glamorous ministry we'll ever be called to do, it is THE most important ministry we will ever be involved in. I love what I heard Beth Moore say about this. She said, "No amount of success at work or in ministry can make up for failure at home."

If you find that you often leave a task, or ministry, incomplete in order to start a new one, you should ask God if you are using your abilities out of season. Ask Him to show you your primary ministry for "this" season, and focus on that until it is complete. Sometimes, our failures are a result of us trying to use our God-given abilities in the wrong season.

Copyright © 2005 Tammie Rigney

Posted by Tammie at 8:53 PM