“If you want something done, ask a busy person.” Why is it that when you are already filling multiple leadership roles, you are the one everyone asks do the next thing? How can you distinguish what God is calling you to do, and what is merely a temptation to overload?
Is this new proposal a golden opportunity or not? How can we test the demands made on our time and energy so that we can sift out the fools’ gold and seize on the real thing.
Seasonal Work
What season of life are you living just now: the preparation season, the productive season or the preservation season? Each season of life comes with its own set of primary goals. Each season offers unique opportunities to be of use to God and His people. These are the things we definitely know that God has called us to be doing.
As a young woman our primary focus should be developing skills, contacts and resources. These are school and apprenticeship days, when we are exploring and gathering the treasures we will mine and invest during our productive days.
As a young-to-middle-aged woman the bulk of our time can no longer be spent acquiring new skills or branching out into completely different avenues of inquiry. During this strength time, we are principally working, bearing and raising children, applying those skills and resources to build Christ’s Kingdom.
As a middle-aged-to-older woman, our focus shifts to preserving the wealth God has given us to steward: the hope of the young, the courage of the middle-aged, the advances the Kingdom has made in individuals around us and in the culture at large. Our work must center on equipping, praying, defending and advising as our physical strength wanes.
When a new demand is presented to us, put it to this test: Does it fit with my principal calling during my present season of life? If I have children, does this proposed activity require me to go back to school or to spend lots of time and energy doing something that doesn’t directly benefit my children? If I’m a student, will this activity interfere with my ability to prepare for my productive season? If I’m older, will this activity prevent me from supporting and empowering those who are building and preparing? Will I be the principal builder in this activity or will I be mentoring those who will build?
If the proposed activity impairs your ability to attend to the core activities of your season of life, just say ‘No’. If it is something that enhances your ability to fulfill the calling of your life season, it may be the next golden opportunity God has for you.
3 comments:
The struggle to say no is always pressing on me but it helps to be reminded that this season of life is busy caring for my little ones. Thank you for this encouraging post!
It was always a challenge when mine were little, too.
Thanks for this post :)I think a difficulty arises, though, when you have a large family. You could be in all three stages at once! ;)
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