I sighed in frustration. “God I don’t have time for this. I have a meeting this morning, and I’m running late as it is. There is nothing I can do to help in this situation. What exactly are you asking of me?

These were my thoughts as I pulled up to the stop sign and took in the scene before me. Two cars, dented and bruised, sat awkwardly in the middle of the intersection. Emergency crews had yet to arrive, but it didn’t look as though it was serious. Others must have made the same assessment as I because traffic continued to move gingerly around the wreckage blocking the roadway. I slowly moved forward to do the same and continue on with my day, when I felt God telling me to stop and pull over. Grumbling under my breath, I pulled to the side of the road and that’s when I saw them. Two small boys huddled behind a woman, wearing no coats in the early morning chill. She seemed obviously distressed and the boys looked unsure and frightened. Again, I asked God, “What is it you would have me do?” He simply said, “Go.”

With a sigh, I unbuckled my seatbelt, got out of my car and walked towards the small crowd now gathering. Several were speaking with the woman, but the boys . . .  it was almost as if no one could see them standing there. I went up to the woman and gently touched her arm. I told her that though she didn’t know me, I too was a mom. Would she allow me to place her boys in my car to keep them warm and safe until the authorities arrived to help her? She looked uncertain at first, but then relief flooded her eyes. She agreed. I bent down, looked the boys in the eyes, and told them I was there to take care of them. I took their small hands in mine and led them to the safety and warmth of my car. 

I never caught their names, and I don’t remember how long we sat there. But, I do remember that I was really late for my meeting, and I also remember asking myself what might have happened if I hadn’t chosen to listen to God in that moment. What if I hadn’t stopped? What if I had closed my eyes to the need before me? What if I hadn’t said “Yes” to God’s interruption that day and His invitation to participate in that moment? 

Our days are full of interruptions, and I don’t think we always remember that those interruptions are often whispered invitations. Invitations to slow down. To notice. To truly see and understand. Invitations to encourage. To speak life into someone else. Invitations to see the joy in this life and the gift that it is. God invites us every day to participate in something much bigger than ourselves. To participate in plans He has had from the beginning and for which He specifically created us. Jeremiah 1:5 says, 

“Before I even formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew all about you.Before you drew your first breath, I had already chosen you to be My prophet to speak My word to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5 (VOICE)

These words were spoken to Jeremiah, but I think they hold true for us as well. Before you drew your first breath . . . God chose you. He chose you to come alongside Him and show His love to this hurting world. This is the life He has for you. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, 

“For we are God’s masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life.”

Ephesians 2:10 (ISV) 

You were created to do good things that God has long planned for you. “Saying Yes” to Him and His invitation to come alongside Him is the life He desires for you. 

But, how often do we miss these invitations He extends to us? How often do we miss “Saying Yes” to those things God created us to do? How often are we so caught up in the demands of the day that we either completely miss the invitations God has for us or we notice them, but choose not to participate? I’m guilty of both. 

Some days, I miss Him completely. I may wake up with good intentions to keep my eyes focused on Jesus and to let Him lead my day. And then life starts happening. The cat throws up on the carpet. Milk gets spilled. Kids begin fighting. And this is all before breakfast. Then we are off to school and there are errands that need run, a house that needs cleaned, laundry that needs washed and dinner to make. I get so caught up in the chaos and the demands of the day that I forget to look for Him. I get so busy doing my own thing that I miss His whispered invitations. Does that ever happen to you? Do ever find yourself so busy with the demands of the day that you forget to look for Him, to listen for His voice?

Some days, I do hear Him, but I blatantly choose to ignore Him. I give excuses like I don’t have time, it’s too hard, or someone else would be better at that than me. Those excuses sometimes come from places of fear or impatience, but if I’m honest . . .  sometimes I’m just being defiant. Sometimes I simply don’t want to do what God asks of me. I don’t want to talk to that mom whom I’ve spotted in the grocery store. It will take extra time that I just don’t want to give. So I pretend I don’t see her. I don’t want to volunteer for that school activity. I have other things I’d rather do. I don’t want to extend forgiveness to that person who has hurt me. I’d like to like to hang on to my hurt for a bit yet. I don’t want to take the time to take my kids to the playground. I don’t want . . . I don’t want . . . I don’t want . . .  I become so self-focused in my defiance. Have you ever been there or is it just me? 

In her book, The Best Yes, Lysa Terkeurst says, “The one who obeys His instruction for today, will develop a keen awareness of His direction for tomorrow. (We’re) always asking God for direction, but (we’ll) miss it if (we) constantly ignore His instruction.” If we want to live this life of “Saying Yes”, we have to be obedient. We have to be obedient in the things He calls us to today. They may feel hard. They may feel too time consuming. They may feel insignificant. But, they very well may be the thing He needs us to “Say Yes” to today. 

God is inviting you to participate in His plans. Don’t miss your assignment because you are either too busy to notice what God is inviting you to or you’re choosing to ignore His invitation. Don’t miss “Saying Yes” to what God has in store for you today. 

How do we do this? How do we make sure we don’t miss our assignments? 

We need to slow down. We spend our days racing from one task to another from the moment we wake up until the time our head hits the pillow at night. We spend our days trying to meet the expectations this world has placed upon us as moms and are exhausted because of it. We need to slow down. We need to take some things off of our overflowing plates, and we need to take some things off of our kids plates as well. We need to be leaving time in our days. Time when we have nothing scheduled. No where to be. No demands. No expectations. Time for His interruptions. Time for His invitations. Time to honor Him and “Say Yes” to what He has for us that day. Think about how you spend your days. Are you leaving room for God to interrupt you? 

Secondly, we need to take time to listen. God speaks clearly. But, are we listening? When was the last time you were still? When was the last time you just sat in the quiet with your own thoughts? Though God doesn’t need absolute quiet for us to hear Him, from my experience, it sure makes it easier. It’s in those moments when I quiet my thoughts and my heart that I hear His voice. I love the verse found in Isaiah that says, 

“Your ears will hear sweet words behind you: ‘Go this way. There is your path; this is how you should go’ whenever you must decide whether to turn to the right or the left.”

Isaiah 31:21 (VOICE) 

God is speaking. Are we taking the time to listen? 

And lastly, God also speaks to us through His Word. Are you spending time with Him? Are you taking time throughout your day to open His Word and talk to Him? You may be feeling like you don’t have time. You have to make time, and it doesn’t have to look the same for each of us. I’m in a season now where I have 15 minutes in the morning to read my Bible before chaos ensues. It hasn’t always been like that. When my kids were little, sometimes the only moments I had with God were in the shower.  Sometimes I had moments to read a short devotional that was emailed to me. Some days it was only a verse. Sometimes, my time with God was when I did devotions with my kids as part of their bedtime routine. We have to make an effort to spend time with Him. It doesn’t have to be long, but it needs to be a time when your heart can turn towards His. And that’s what He longs for. He simply wants you to turn towards Him. Are you spending any time with Him during your day?

God has purpose for our lives and each day invites us in coming alongside Him. Are you open to His interruptions? Are you open to His invitation to notice those who are hurting, those who need encouragement. Are you open to “Saying Yes” to what He has for you today? 

Works Cited:

Terkeurst, Lysa. The Best Yes, Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands. Nashville, Nelson Books, 2014.