Are You Stretched to a Numbing Ineffectiveness?

by Sally Matheny

Embarrassing ineffectiveness

The day I sashayed into the church with the back corner of my dress firmly tucked inside my pantyhose ranks in the top five of my most embarrassing moments.

Before the morning worship service, I corralled my two toddlers and I into the restroom. Anyone with toddlers knows this is no easy feat.

After chasing the youngest down the sanctuary aisle, we finally settled into a pew. 

Immediately, a sweet teenage girl quietly slipped in the pew behind me informing me of my predicament. If I could crawl under the pew and slither out, I would have. 

My four-year-old daughter's squeaky voice pelted, "Whatcha' gonna to do, Mama? Whatcha' gonna to do?"

One option was to slither to the floor and roll under two pews until I reached the side door. It was only fifteen or twenty feet away but I didn't suppose it would look favorably upon me to leave the kids. Especially, since I determined I would never return. This called for an immediate change in church membership. Plus, I'd have to stand up again to open the door.  No way was I going to expose my backside again.

My only option was to remain seated, laugh it off, and yank the dress out as discreetly as possible.

Afterwards, my husband asked, “Could you not feel the dress stuck in there?”

I assured him with all the control top undergarments, everything felt stuffed in there! Due to the numbing tightness, I was totally unaware the dress had gone astray.

That incident happened over fifteen years ago. Women don't wear sheer nylon hose like they used to, and many opt for solid colors or no hose at all now. Nonetheless, not one Sunday has gone by since then that I have not triple-checked the location of my hemline. Needless to say—lesson learned.

All too often, I rush around in life, never really seeking God’s direction. Sometimes my day is jam-packed with so much stuff. Stuff of which I haphazardly agreed to mandate, participate, and coordinate. Often, I'm so busy running around that I fail to realize something is amiss.

It’s easy for my heart to become calloused to God’s purpose for my life. Even if all my activities are good ones, I can allow myself to become stretched to a numbing ineffectiveness.

God wants me 100%. He wants to be the first thing on my mind and then, let the other things fall into place. When I choose to keep my primary focus on Him, amazing things come to pass.

When hardships burden you because you rushed ahead and did not seek God’s counsel … slow down.

Choose not the controlling pressures of the world, but rejoice in the freedom Christ offers. Pray. Seek God’s wisdom and guidance in all things, including the use of your time. Tust and obey when He says, “Be still.” Any afflictions along the way will soften your heart, making you sensitive again to His voice and His will for your life

Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
Psalm 119:70-71 NIV

How are YOU doing today?