Every Worthy Effort
“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”
It is all too easy to routinize our days to the point of drudgery. So many of us perform the same tasks day in and day out, with little to show for it, or so it seems. Within this routine, there are a million and one tasks begging for completion, a myriad of people to respond to, and new happenings in the world of which we are supposed to have an opinion.
I don't think I am alone in saying that I am most unhappy when this cluttered, distracted, and unfocused state becomes my normal. I'm trying to catch myself when I enter a frenzied, scattered mode. If, in the midst of the tumult I can still myself enough to offer a quick prayer —even just a brief ascension of my consciousness— immediately I can feel my perception sharpen, I can feel my nervous system regulate, I can feel my body breathe deeper.
Though this small prayer does nothing to dispense with the assortment of problems, what it does do is cut through the confusion to make me focused and efficient. Somehow, taking the time to slow down, actually results in a job well done, and in more of them complete than if I had rushed. What's more, I notice the intricacies of what I am doing, I appreciate the details and am aware of grace where I hadn't noticed it before. Suddenly, the most mundane of tasks gets transformed into an opportunity for devotion, for excellence, for gratitude. Something about a prayer whispered in the noise has a sanctifying effect. It leads me to perform my labor with God as my witness, as my strength, and I am renewed in determination to do it well. The apathy and anger retreat as I consciously invite in care and love.
The Catholic monk Brother Lawrence said, "He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think.”
It's astonishing that even the dregs of domesticity get beautified by making Christ the focus. There is nothing inherently lovely about a sink full of dishes, or peanut butter on the carpet, or yogurt between a toddlers toes. (I guess the last one is debatable.) Yet looking to Him in these moments of overwhelm can sanctify our service and give us JOY to perform all that shall be required for good. The sanctification and beautifying effect does not occur because we choose a different line of work — it occurs because we make the conscious and repeated choice to do that work unto God, for His sake, and not merely our own. The work needs doing regardless, but doing it for Him makes it so rich, so full, so inherently worthwhile. What's more, He reassures us that no task is too small to include Him in it. Just as we crave His company, so too does He yearn to be involved in our lives, especially in the day to day struggles and triumphs, because those "meaningless" moments comprise the majority of our lives.
Life is a dance between perspectives, and luckily, we get to choose our partner every single time. I really believe that so much of the bitterness and frustration that often accompanies homemaking is due to a poor choice of perspective. Are you just folding laundry, or are you also making sure your children see the importance of order? Are you just making dinner, or are you also showing the necessity of daily gathering and nourishment for body and mind? Are you just reading the same book for the tenth time, or are you also demonstrating the repetition of diligently seeking to understand? Are you just cleaning up a spilt drink, or are you also teaching the way to respond when things go wrong?
The way we view and demonstrate parenting is the way our children will come to characterize the nature of Heavenly Father and Mother, for good or ill. The way we respond to them when they interrupt and mess up will be their internal voice for years to come. If we are impatient and bothered, they will unconsciously believe God operates in the same fashion. If we are gentle and long-suffering, they will not hesitate to turn home for comfort and aid. It's such a sacred charge to be His face and hands for these precious little ones.
As with nearly everything in life, we are one mindset shift away from utter contentment and fullness of purpose. We are one heavenly perspective away from seeing more clearly the lasting effects of our small, daily efforts. All that is required is attention to detail, meaning, attention to grace, attention to beauty, attention to miracles. Life is laden with God's love. May we all slow down enough to see it, feel it, and be changed by it.
