I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Ecclesiastes 3:14

God has given many of us assignments we wouldn’t have chosen ourselves. Maybe you have been assigned to singleness longer than you would like, assigned to marriage but you wish you were single, assigned to work with people who don’t appreciate you, assigned to a job where you won’t be promoted, assigned to live in a neighborhood with unfriendly neighbors, assigned to a city you dislike, assigned to be a stay at home mom though you wish you were a working mother, assigned to be a working mother but wish you were a stay-at-home mom, or maybe you have been assigned to childlessness.

Perhaps you see your assignment as small. You see it as insignificant. You may even feel like you have been cheated. You may compare yourself to others. You see what they are doing and you think, God gave them a more important assignment.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

To overcome disappointment and even experience joy, you must look at your God-given assignment through God’s lens—the lens of eternity. You must look past the here and now and consider how your assignment will ripple into heaven, even if you can’t see its impact now. When you have an eternal perspective about your temporary earthly assignment, what seems meaningless and futile, frustrating and worthless can become something sacred.

Could it be that your assignment is more purposeful, more sacred, and more holy than you could possibly imagine? Could it be that the eternal destinies of generations of people could be changed because you are faithful to your assignment, no matter how small? Could it be that God has placed you in your assignment at this time for a reason you do not comprehend? Could it be that you will not see the impact of this assignment you view as insignificant until you enter your heavenly home? Don’t count your assignment as unimportant or measure its value through a temporal lens, for you will not be seeing clearly. Look at it through God’s eyes, who doesn’t waste the impact of one of His children. All of His children have important assignments—all of them. There is not one that doesn’t matter.

“. . . the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken” (Psalm 33:11).

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are sovereign and all-knowing. You do all things according to your eternal purposes and love. Thank you that my life has meaning and purpose because of you. Amen.

Application: Choose a few biblical saints and review their God-given assignments. Then consider the ways they did not know the eternal impact they would have, but were still faithful in their assignments.

Related Readings: John 17:18; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 6:8

Shana Schutte

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