The Indispensable You

I’m a mom, a wife, a daughter, grandmother, pastor’s wife, worship leader, Bible Study leader, Sunday School teacher, author, freelance editor, and I don’t have a housekeeper or a cook. Sometimes I feel like everyone depends on me.

When my children were very young, I felt ill for about six months. We couldn’t really afford medical care, so I self-diagnosed, and convinced myself I wouldn’t live long. I told no one my fear, but while I waited to die, I worried.  Dying wasn’t my greatest fear; my biggest concern was my children’s well-being.  My husband was and is a tremendous provider; however, being a child of the ’60s, he had never changed a diaper or packed a school lunch. Those three girls depended on me. Would they ever eat anything besides pizza and pasta if I died? I felt indispensable, and the burden was nearly unbearable.

I loved my last employer, so when I felt God’s call to write full-time, quitting was hard. It’s hard to find people to work these days and even more difficult to fill a part-time position with someone willing to work every position. I spent months in prayer about quitting.

In both circumstances, I had to embrace the principles of Psalm 62. With my girls, I finally told God I trusted Him to take care of them even if I feared my husband’s skills might be lacking. In my job, I turned it over to Jesus and gave my employer several months notice so they had time to replace me.

The key is realizing we are not indispensable. We can take time off and the world will still spin. The dishes may build up in the sink, but it’s not the end of the world. The most important things in life, our salvation and our honor, depend on God. Our efforts in those arenas are futile. And when we’re completely honest, we know this truth from King David.

When we begin to feel overwhelmed because we’ve allowed others to make us indispensable, it’s time to take this Psalm to heart. Because those who trust Yahweh at all times, pour their hearts out to Him, and look to God as our refuge know He’s the answer to our burnout and mild anxiety. I depend on God for my salvation, and He will take care of my honor.