Weary in well-doing

When I reflect on the weariness I experienced as a young(er) mom--physical, emotional, spiritual--I often think, "If only I'd known how quickly those days would pass!" If only. If only I could see that stage in its proper perspective, I might have been able to relax, rest, and rejoice in those fleeting days of my boys' babyhood.

In today's weariness I often wonder the same thing.

In his encouragement to those of us weary in well-doing--a weariness, incidentally, not unique to moms but to us all regardless of age or stage--D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones advocates viewing our lives in proper perspective, that is, an eternal one, remembering that this world is not our home and living in anticipation of the joy that awaits us. From his book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure:

You are tired and weary and you feel at times it is too much for you? Go back and look at your life and put it into the context of eternity. Stop and ask yourself what it all means. It is nothing but a preparatory school. This life is but the ante-chamber of eternity and all we do in this world is but anticipatory of that. Our greatest joys are but the first fruits and the foretaste of the eternal joy that is coming. How important it is to remind ourselves of that. It is the sheer grind of daily life that gets us down.

Further,

We are too immersed in our problems. We need to look ahead, to anticipate, to look forward to the eternal glories gleaming afar. The Christian life is a tasting of the first-fruits of that great harvest which is to come. 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.' 'Set your affection on things above and not on things on the earth.' Realize something in mind and heart of the glory of the place to which you are going. That is the antidote, that is the cure. The harvest we shall reap is certain, it is sure. 'Therefore,' says Paul to the Corinthians, 'be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' Go on with your task whatever your feelings; keep on with your work. God will give the increase, He will send the rain of His gracious mercies as we need it.

How I need proper perspective, to remember that my true reward is Christ Himself! I want to be like Paul, straining toward what lies ahead: an eternity rejoicing in the glorious presence of my Lord! When I am weary I want to remember the joys of heaven, confident that my labor is not vain because it is the Lord Jesus I am serving even as I lay up treasures where moth and rust will not destroy.


Author's note: a version of this post was first published at my personal blog in August, 2010.