I was lacking motivation one morning to continue a gardening job. Part of the problem was that I had overdone it a couple of days before and my body was hurting. I allowed myself the previous day off to recover but knew that if I didn’t get back to work the job would never be completed. I had been working steadily through the garden for over a week, each day just doing a certain amount for about an hour or less, no more. I had been surprised at how much I was getting done but most of the work went unnoticed as is often the case with gradual improvements.
When I lack motivation, I often pray, asking God to provide some. I did so again this time. Yet, as I got out of bed the answer was simply, get out there and do something just for half an hour. So, I did.
As I got to the end of the allotted time I realised a couple of things I had done wrong previously.
One, that I had pushed myself past my physical limits and that was why my body was hurting. Instead of just doing a certain about of work for a certain period of time, like I had been, I had pushed myself to complete a particularly difficult area in one session. I had looked at the job and decided that I was nearly there so I kept going instead of saying “time is up, do some more tomorrow”.
Two, that the reason I had done so was, so my husband would notice what I was doing. While I was only doing the half-hour each day the progress was small and insignificant. The thing was that even when I pushed myself and made greater progress, my husband was so busy that he still didn’t notice what I had done. God really does have a sense of poetic justice.
There were three things that I realised that morning.
Firstly, God wanted me to be obedient, and just do what I could in the time I had available. He was in charge of the results. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Colossians 3:23.
Secondly, He was reminding me that looking for approval from other people is a waste of time. No matter how much I did or didn’t do God would always see it even if no one else ever did. “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1.
Thirdly, He prompted me to realise that many people in the past didn’t have the privileges that I have. They had to work, not because they wanted to, or loved the job they were in. It was often a case of if your parents worked in a particular field, you did too, no questions asked and no complaints listened to. “Servants, (or most versions say slaves) obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:” Colossians 3:22
I was taking many of my blessings for granted. What about you, do you take your blessings for granted.