Day 17: Matthew 6-9

“When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever.  But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him. (Matthew 8:14-15, NLT)

There is a season of life where we find ourselves “sandwiched” between raising our own children and caring for aging parents. It is an overwhelming and depleting time.
It is easy to do one of two things:

•     Neglect our responsibility to one or the other (our children or our parents).
•     Try to do it all in our own strength and abilities because it’s “our burden.

Sadly I have fallen into each of these tendencies at different times over the last couple of years. They each have terrible results.

When I neglected my children to focus on my parents’ needs, the kids felt like they and their activities were unimportant to me. When I neglected my parents, they struggled in isolation and lack.

When I tried to do it all in my own strength, my children and parents were happy and taken care of, but my own health suffered greatly, and I found myself unable to be there for anyone.

There is a better option!

Take it all to Jesus FIRST, and DAILY! Seek Him on what your responsibilities are and follow that path. Pray for your children, household, parents, and yourself.

Do what God leads you to do and trust Him to show up in mighty ways as you obey.

In today’s scripture, Peter is doing God’s will by opening his home to others, even though his mother-in-law is quite ill. Jesus showed up and provided a miracle of healing and restoration for her while Peter was doing what God had led him to do.

What is God leading you to do that you feel like you can’t because of your “sandwiched” season?

-Tammy