Today Tripp was talking about how Jesus has called us to be Ambassadors and how he equips us with the grace we need to do it.

In line with a thought I had yesterday with parenting being ministry… if He equips us with what we need to do ministry that means he will equip me as a parent.

Parenting is hard. I’ve got my degree in Child Development and years of teaching young children in education. Even with all the training and experience…. none of it has fully prepared me to steward the souls of my children. I’ve had times I’ve cried because I didn’t know what else to do but God…. God is the one who equips us when we feel unqualified. The Holy Spirit is my help when I feel like I don’t know what to do. He does this so I see it as his work and he gets the glory.

“Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!”

1 Chronicles 16:9-13 ESV

Today, Paul Tripp was calling his readers to look at life in hope of eternity. As a teacher I have the hope of the next break even when teaching is particularly challenging. Vacation time is built into the schedule. I have random 3 day weekends like Columbus Day. Jesus, however, has given us a greater hope. Christ has given me the hope of eternal rest. One day I will truly have rest and the suffering of this life will be no more.

Our eternal outlook can really impact the way we interpret our reality. If I see my present suffering as momentary and productive in refining my sinful heart it seems meaningful. There is purpose in our pain and the pain is only temporary. God is doing something and one day it will only be a memory.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Peace isn’t found in figuring everything out but in trusting the one who holds it all together.”- Paul David Tripp

“You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As a mom who struggles with self reliance, this truth is much needed. I want to be the one to hold it all together for my family. I want to be the one keeps everything in order. A mother‘s workload is never ending.  Peace will never be found in accomplishing everything on our to do list. At some point, we need to stop and rest in the Lord who holds everything together.  Lord help me today to rest in you even while I’m working and help me to trust you when I need to stop working.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬