“I used to be cute.” I say that in a self-deprecating, sort of joking way, every time I see an old picture of myself, wishing I had that smooth skin and smaller frame again — longing for a time past when things seemed easier, and I had endless energy and time.
I was reading in the book of Ezra recently. The Jewish people have returned to their homeland, Israel, after being exiled to Babylon for 70 years. The people were tasked to rebuild the temple. Some of the elders who had been around for Solomon’s temple remembered the magnitude and splendor of Solomon’s temple, and they wept when they saw the foundation laid for the new temple:
“But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.” Ezra 3:12
My Bible’s commentary on this passage:
Fifty years after its destruction, the temple was being rebuilt (536 B.C.). Some of the older people remembered Solomon’s temple, and they wept because the new temple would not be as glorious as the first one. But the beauty of the building was not nearly as important to God as were the attitudes of the builders and worshippers. God cares more about who we are than what we accomplish. Our world is always changing, and once-magnificent accomplishments decay and disappear. Seek to serve God whole-heartedly. Then you won’t need to compare your work with anyone else’s. (Life Application Study Bible, Ezra 3:12)
Reflections
As moms, we often long for the way things were. Maybe it’s a natural part of life as we get older. We see our bodies changing, our reflection in the mirror aging, and feel our energy depleting by the minute. We hold onto that old pair of jeans that we swear are going to fit again someday. We strive to get back to that place of ease and comfort of our youth.
We’re frustrated because things aren’t as simple as they were before we had kids. We say things like, “if I can just get through this week, this project at work, or this challenge at school, it will be better. Then we’ll be in a good place.” But it’s a lie that keeps us trapped in the past, and longing for something we’ll never have again.
It holds us back from living a productive life now. It stunts our growth.
Life is always evolving into something new, and God is molding us into something beautiful for his purpose. The easy life is a myth, so let’s embrace the hard with courage and purpose.
Let’s run headfirst into the challenges each new day brings, trusting that God has purpose in them. The more we cling to the past, or try to recreate it, the more we miss the gift of what He’s doing right now. Freedom comes when we stop looking back and start living fully present, because God is here with us in this moment.
Maybe you’re walking through a challenging season. Maybe you’re hoping to get over this mountain in front of you. You are hoping for the downhill on the other side. You want that “easy” pace again. Let me lovingly point you to the Word. It promises not a life of ease, but a life of discomfort for believers. But a discomfort that refines us into who God made us to be. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
God is concerned with the attitudes of his worshipers. He cares more about who we are than what we do (or did). With God, it’s always about the heart. For now, hold onto the truth that your best days are ahead of you. We can trust God to fulfill his promises, because he has proven himself again and again. He is faithful!
We were not made for lives of comfort and ease.
Jesus said, “in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus is always with you. In the hard, in the ordinary, and in all the ups and downs of life.
Jesus said, “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
Do not grow weary in doing good. Strive to please God, not your own comfort.
“Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:8-9
Keep your eyes forward. Press on.
“…forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14
The goal is not behind you; it’s ahead of you. In life you’re forever going to get over one mountain just to discover another mountain to climb. There’s no downhill coasting on the other side. So bring God into the climb and let him lead you. Press on.
So maybe I wasn’t wrong when I said, “I used to be cute.” But the truth is, God isn’t asking me to go back. He isn’t longing for the version of me with smooth skin and endless energy. He is shaping this version of me – wrinkles, tired eyes and all – for his glory. Just as the new temple wasn’t about outshining the old one, my life now isn’t meant to compare with what once was.
The goal isn’t to reclaim the past. Instead, strive to press forward into your life now. Embrace the future God has prepared. That’s where his promises are. That’s where his presence is. And that’s where the real beauty lies. Not in what used to be, but in who you are becoming in Christ.
Run your race on purpose. Stay faithful. Finish well.
Reference:
Life Application Study Bible. New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. / Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
Faithful Working Mom 