Handle: Balancing What God has Given Us, What Really Matters

It can be difficult to handle all the abilities God has given us as women. With Him and our fellow sisters, we can learn to balance what really matters.

While traveling to my best friend’s house one day I heard a speaker on KLove. She was discussing how we as women try to handle multiple tasks or commitments at one time. My active imagination conjured up this image of a female waitress with octopus arms, holding multiple platters with ease.

Handle It

I had to chuckle when this picture came to mind. But, seriously ladies, unless we have octopus arms none of us can handle it all. Where are you right now in your life? How much are you trying to handle by yourself? Do you have a teacup, a bowl, a plate, or a platter you are trying to handle? Let us talk for a few minutes about what really matters!

Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

Titus 2:3-5, NLT

Juggling Act

There is a young woman I have known for many years that has 7 children. She home schools them all. The kids are perfectly well behaved and docile, not to mention beautiful within and without. She has a petite figure and always seems to have it all put together! She is the woman who has the platter!

I have a dear friend who also has multiple children and is heavily involved in the homeschooling community. However, as dearly as I love her she is a teacup kind of girl. She is very focused and intent on what is in her cup, but that is all she knows she can focus on at that time. Very wise if you ask me. She knows her abilities and limitations and accepts them both.

I would like to think of myself as one who carries around a plate. As a single mom coordinating school, church and appointments for three kids is sometimes overwhelming. I use to carry around my platter trying to manage it all by myself.

It took some major life-changing situations to learn God does not want us to rely on our own abilities or handle it all by ourselves! It places other people in our lives to help us handle it. I sometimes have to pass a plate off to my mom, or my oldest son, or a dear friend who offers to help.

So, ladies, do you know what kind of dish you are carrying around? Are you handling what God has given you the right way?

Comparison

There is a lot of “mom shaming” in our culture today. Thanks to social media and our inter-connected society we see the accomplishments of others constantly. I often see or hear things like, “She can’t handle that! I can do that better. What is wrong with her kids? Does she not know how to discipline them. What is her problem?”

When we fall prey to “mom shaming” we fall prey to the devil’s handiwork. He wants us to compare ourselves to each other, to build up our pride, or to fuel jealousy between us. What we have on this earth does not compare to what Christ has prepared for us in heaven as believers.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 2:9, NKJV

God does not want us to dwell on what others have, or what we do not have. Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of how jealousy created bitterness, anger, and lead to strong adversaries.

Rachel and Leah bickered out of jealousy (Genesis 30:15). Hagar was fruitful and bore Abraham a son, but instead of being her advocate, Sarah was cruel to her (Genesis 16).

Now I have to tell you I am sure if I was in the same situation as these ladies I probably would have felt the same way. But, I have learned some hard lessons over the past few years and having a community of strong Christian women around, is powerful!

The fact that I am a women does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.

Elizabeth Elliot

 Handle What Matters

There will be different times in your life when you carry different sizes of dishes around. It is okay. God made us all with different abilities, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Instead of becoming jealous and bitter towards one another, we should help teach each other.

God gave us an example to follow in Titus 2. I have been encouraged and learned from spiritually older women throughout the years. Remember God places women in our lives for specific reasons. Listen to the wisdom of these women and learn from their godly counsel.

Perhaps you feel like you have too much to handle. Let me remind you for a minute that God never gives us more than we can handle. However, He does expect us to handle what we have been given. Matthew 25:14-30 has the parable of the talents. Each servant according to his own ability was expected to use what he had been given for his master’s glory. Are we using what God has given us to glorify and point others to Him?

So, sweet sisters, it does not matter if you have a teacup, a bowl, a plate, or a platter. What matters is we handle what God has given us the right way.

Until we meet again… Gracie