My focus has been off lately. My heart has not been in the right place.
Each time I sit down to have some time with the Lord, I feel it heavy in my heart. But each time I also hear specifically from Him about how to turn it all around.
And He did so again last night, after a morning of power struggles with a child and an afternoon of trying to clean up the full cup of coffee that spilled all over the presents and tree skirt and carpet…
For three days in a row, I had written in my journal something on the matter of focus.
Focus matters.
Where is your focus, Erin?
The focus of my heart is not on Him…
The day-to-day, the little disasters and pitfalls, the crazy of this season had narrowed my focus on to only me. And, if there is one thing I’ve learned, when I focus on ME ME ME, I am NEVER happy. Or at least, not for long.
This especially goes for my views on motherhood and homemaking. With my heart in the wrong place, the children and chores are annoyances and interruptions to my day. And as I threw a pity party over these very things yesterday, God interrupted ME with these words from Charles Spurgeon…
We’ve always had the verse before this in Colossians posted in our homeschool room:
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ~Colossians 3:23
I have not been modeling this well for our children, working more for what I want or to please other people, not wholeheartedly giving myself to the work God has give me to do.
And it feels horrible. And stressful. And not at all what He intended for me.
The Morning + Evening devotion I was reading concluded with this…
“Divine service” is not a thing of a few hours and a few places—but all of life becomes holiness unto the Lord; and every place and thing, becomes as consecrated as the tabernacle and its golden candlestick!
I found so much hope, so much beauty in these words. The laundry room is just as holy as the church sanctuary when I consider the work I am doing as unto the Lord. Changing diapers and washing dishes are acts of divine service, not to be met with disdain, but embraced with joy.
Each and every hour of my day is holy when approached as divine service. Each and every place I set my foot in the perspective of divine service in motherhood and homemaking and marriage and writing is holy. And to do each of these things to glorify and serve God is joy.
My heart wants more focus, but not just any kind. Jesus, joy, and divine service are the path He has set me on and I will keep my focus there.
Where is your focus right now? What divine service has He called you to?
Hello there! I have been subscribed to your site for some time now. I have been so blessed by your writing..so authentic, raw and real. As a mother of 3 boys myself( my are a little older 14,11,10) and I homeschool too! I can relate! Todays article was amazingly close to my heart. I have found myself in the same predicament. Focusing on me, whats right, whats wrong, all of my imperfections…can be overwhelming! I read this article of yours with tears in my eyes. I don’t want to call them articles because to me they are much more like devotions. Especially the ones that read me like a book (like this one). Thank you Erin. I feel like you are a friend since we have so much in common…3 boys, running(races),fashion , homeschooling and most of all loving Jesus! I don’t comment very often, but today, I just HAD to ! This post blessed me in a way words cant describe but only that the Holy Spirit says, “Hello, I am trying to tell you something and get you back on track.” In this busy season, may our focus be on Him! and on trying to focus on the things in front of us and practice doing one thing at a time! God Bless you Erin, my friend!
I needed this today, Erin. Thanks for sharing your heart.
So true! What an eye opener. When we focus on ourselves, we are almost never happy. How important it is to focus on others and doing it all for the glory of God! Thank you for this!
Man, did I need to read this post?! Thank you so much for your transparency and honest heart. It’s encouraging to read that a fellow mommy has the same struggles that I have dealt with many times. I look forward to your future posts!
Oh Erin, sometimes our eyes have to be open to what seem like the simplest things. That’s how I just felt when I read this post. An “Ohhh, that’s what this irritability is!” moment. Thank you for your transparency…for, through it, the Spirit does mighty things.