04.13.09
Who is your audience?
Feeling distraught and invisible recently, I dramatically threw myself down on the couch and said to my husband, “You don’t even see all the work I did today.” My Godly husband said to me, “Well, sweetheart, God sees.”
Duh.
I must admit that my audience is most often myself. Sometimes others, probably depends on who it is. That is where most of my sin lies, in pride. I work to please my own standard, not God’s.
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
When Mike reminded me that God sees, I realized how easily and often I forget who my audience is. I do everything better when I know someone is watching. I clean my house better when someone is on their way to my house. I do my hair and make-up better when getting ready for a date. I correct my children more tenderly in front of a friend than I do alone with them. God sees those movements of my heart, the fact that in my sin, I turn up the quality when someone is watching.
YET God sees me constantly. I can’t hide my heart from him or my work.
God knows the number of diapers, messes, snotty noses for the day. God knows the moments where I have to stop and pray for self-control and gentleness to intervene in a sibling argument. He knows the details, tasks, choices, and little moments of service. He is watching closely as I manuver relationships, conversations, research, and how I apply and comprehend the gospel. He is watching to see if my theology merges with the everyday small interactions. God is paying attention to ME! He is in the details.
If God is watching, why am I so quick to forget his presence? If I am working for Him, why don’t I stop more often to acknowledge that? Repentance continues to be, turning up the quality because I work for Jesus! Redemption for me is dependence on Jesus and worship in my work. It is also growing in humility to comprehend my part in God’s story.
HE is watching me because he loves me and HE alone is the reward. Knowing Jesus Christ is enough. Praise from people sure feels great, but knowing the King of Kings, my savior sees me and chose me, is the inheritance that Colossians 3 speaks of.
I work for Jesus. He is watching and cheering me on. For His Glory. Not mine. I am so thankful for that. His grace teaches and instructs me to lean into Him today and see God watching.
Meredith said,
April 13, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Oh Trisha! This spoke volumes to my heart! Thank you for sharing what God is teaching you. I found it particularly helpful with these two points: If God is watching, why am I so quick to forget his presence? and why do I do everything better when I think others are watching? So much to ponder thank you for your transparency.
Beth said,
April 13, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Thank you for sharing Trisha. It is so good to be reminded that my work is for God and not the praise of others!
Mom said,
April 13, 2009 at 6:49 pm
What powerful encouragement from God! I’ve read this over and over… soaking it in…receiving it into my heart. “He alone is the reward” How amazing that there could be no greater reward – yet we are all prone to abandon that reward in order to seek something less. Thank-you for opening your heart and continually sharing your journey. In so doing, you impart living Word and realization comes into being – realization of God’s design regarding work as a continual means of worshiping Him – realization that leads to heart change – my heart for one. When I visualize you working, I visualize thousands of people seeing and deeply appreciating your work – not because we’re all in your laundry room observing you fold laundry – or in your precious baby’s room observing you change her diaper – but because you invite all of us to observe the work going on in your heart. Thank-you for giving us this very special gift.
Loving you deeply… and longing to come kiss children, change diapers, do laundry, and in all of this, worship WITH you.
Brittany said,
April 15, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Thank you Trisha! Thank you for reminding me that my Heavenly Father sees the work I do and that my reward is in heaven.
thecitycradle said,
April 21, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Thanks so much for sharing this word. It was very encouraging to my heart!
Being a new stay-at-home mom with twins I am learning a lot recently about the work I do everyday and how to serve the Lord within this new, very insane, role.
Thanks for being an encouragement in this role.
trisha said,
April 23, 2009 at 12:24 pm
vicki-
I love your blog! great job. I am amazed at the Grace God gives for us moms to worship HIm in our daily grind/call/stuff…
congrats on two babies!
In Christ,
trisha