I was sitting in a nail salon next to my mother in law, soaking my feet in cucumber-melon scented bath water and trying to figure out how to turn off the aggressive massage function on the chair. We were sipping coffee and talking about our upcoming family vacation when her pedicurist emphatically asked, “Is this your daughter?”
“No,” Sandi said. “This is my daughter-in-law.”
“Oh… She’s so young! And she’s married?”
“Yes,” I chimed. “It will be four years next week!”
“Four years?!” the small woman kneading my mother-in-law’s feet bellowed. “You need a BABY!”
Well, there it is. I’ve (apparently) been married too long not to have offspring yet. While this is a relatively humorous example, I think it sheds some light on how we humans tend to map the road before us. We think there’s one highway God paved for us. On that highway, He sets a speed limit and His will tells us when to exit or merge back on. We put pressure on ourselves to look for directional signs that aren’t always there.
I believe that God does not create the same path and options for all people. To raise children that are productive Christian members of society? Good. To not have children and continue to give my life to God? Good. God does not have a pre-destined will for our lives. When we eliminate the pressure of choosing the “right” answer—as if there is only ONE that God wants for us—we open our minds to the many possible ways we can choose to glorify God with whichever choice we make.
Are you choosing between good and good? Instead of laboring over what God wants you to choose, take a moment to think about how you can honor God with the choice you make. God gave you a mind to make up and He gave you a heart to love Him. Using those for His glory is the mission and purpose for our lives.
Beth Armstrong, Director of Welcoming Ministries
