The past several years have been hard for Laureann and me. It has felt like an endless cycle of diaper changes, tantrums, doctors appointments, more diaper changes, therapies, fights with insurance companies, sleepless nights, and total exhaustion as we try to parent kids who struggle with the very basics of life. During the nonstop groundhog days, it's easy to slip into a mindset that this work doesn't matter. No one truly sees the struggle and when we try to explain it, most don't understand.

I have found myself struggling with the thought that this life is mundane and very insignificant. I’ve always had big goals and enjoyed being around people. Now, I find myself feeling isolated and just trying to survive until the end of the day. Couldn’t my time be better spent on other things? Isn’t there something else that I could be doing that would be making a bigger impact? Will they even realize or understand the sacrifices we have made? Am I selfish for wanting something greater?

While sorting through my feed of blogs, I came across this article on 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. The words hit hard and have been bouncing around in my head for a few days now. Below are a few of my highlights and thoughts from that article:

Paul knew that the most lasting influence often comes through unseen, unknown, and uncelebrated lives lived in the shadows.

This is comforting because this is how I feel about my life right now; unseen, unknown, and certainly uncelebrated. But maybe that’s the point. It’s in this “secret life” that God is doing a major work, not just in me, but in my girls, my boys, and my wife as well. What if I can’t even fathom today how He will use all of this in the future?

Paul’s command to live quietly isn’t an invitation to coast. It’s not permission to veg out in life. He’s calling us to live intentionally whatever our circumstances.

So many times during the week I find myself starting to shut down, just going through the motions without even thinking. Certainly there are times when auto pilot is ok, but when I feel the pull to withdraw and give up, that’s the very moment I need to take a minute, take a breath, and refocus on the mission. The circumstances are daunting and difficult, but it’s what I’ve been called to.

Paul’s words to the church in Thessalonica remind us there’s dignity and beauty in what we do whether we work in finance or farming, medicine or ministry, loading packages or parenting. Our mundane lives and daily work matter to God. In fact, when we’re faithful in the ordinary, God gives our lives extraordinary significance.

Our work matters. All of it. God is the one who has sovereignly placed us where we are today. Our job is to be faithful. We just need to keep showing up each and every day, doing our work for Him, no matter how significant or insignificant anyone may think it is.

Before anyone thinks I have this all figured out, I read this article on a day when I was at one of my lowest points during the week. I was so tired and just felt like I couldn’t do another day of the same routine. It’s taken multiple days to process these ramblings. And I know, next week, when it all goes sideways again, I will need to again refocus, ask God for supernatural help, and get back to what I’ve been called to. So I will try to resist the temptation to strive for a more “important” life, and try to be satisfied and faithful to the life that God has given us.