There was a time in my life when all I could do was exist. I live with a chronic illness. There are times that my illness will put me in bed for days. There was a time in my life that I had more sick days than healthy. There was also a time in my life that I was idle. I would get up in the morning and take my kid to school then I would come home and lay on the couch watching TV all day until it was time to go get him again. Life slowly got busier and busier. As more kids came and more “mom duties” started to come, I always felt under water. I remember getting on Facebook and looking at the lives of other moms. They all seemed to have it together. They were juggling kids, PTA, sports, bible studies, church on Sundays, date nights with their husbands, careers, and still managed to do laundry and have dinner on the table every night. I was puzzled how they had so much time on their hands.

It took me a while to understand a few things. It also took Discipleship. The first thing that I had to understand, was that I was not to be measured up to other moms or women. No where in the Word have I ever found that I am compared with other women. There are things that the Word lays out for women. There is guidance on how a woman ought to manage herself and her home. The word is the only thing that I should measure myself up to. Much of this information can be found in Titus 2 and Proverbs 31. Now don’t roll your eyes at the thought of yet one more Proverbs 31 study. This is not one. However, if you have never looked at the text (without commentary from someone else) and asked how you can apply it to your life… do it now.

The next thing I had to understand is that I have the same 24 hours in my day that everyone else has. No one took any hours from me. Now I may have more free time in one day than another day. I may need more rest on some days. I may get more work done on others. The things that I had seen other women doing on Facebook, was a choice for them. Spending time with their kids was a choice. Having time for date nights was a choice. Doing a bible study was a choice. Getting the laundry done, was also a choice.

What is the sacrifice of these choices? When we look at our life and we are making time for the Lord, our spouse, our kids, and our chores… what are we sacrificing? I know that if I want to get my house clean, I need to sacrifice some free time. If I want to get to church early for a class, I need to rearrange my schedule and come prepared. If I want to walk with women, I have to sacrifice some of my evenings. Now we can also look at things from a different perspective as well. Am I sacrificing intentional time with the Lord, so that I can sleep in? Am I sacrificing intimate time with my husband so that I can be out with my friends? Do I sacrifice a clean home so I can binge watch Netflix? Everything is a sacrifice. You just have to ask yourself; Is this a sacrifice that I want to make?

The key word that the Lord has been showing me this past month is definitely: Idleness. I was drawn to check out 2 Thessalonians 3. When I got there, I realized that I was there to check out verses 6-15.

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.

There are so many ways that you can look at this. One way that I am looking at this is: Who am I around and being influenced by? Am I around people that gossip and sit around doing nothing? Am I around fellow believers that speak life into me? I can’t answer these questions for you. I also can’t tell you what you need to sacrifice. I do pray that you find a way to sacrifice for things that grow you closer to the Lord. I also pray that I show myself to be a reliable minister of the Gospel, by not being idle; Idle in my relationship with the Lord, idle in ministry, and idle in the affairs of my home. I can be idle or I can be reliable, but I cant be both.

Grace & Peace

Chorley

If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the Truth x Grace Summit through Brittanyrust.com There is going to be some great resources revealed!