Being an introverted mom is a challenge. There’s always someone needing me, pulling me away, vying for my attention. I can get sucked into the cycle of unproductivity because I keep getting disrupted when I try to focus on something. And as I mentioned in a previous post, it’s already hard enough to focus on one task without the added distraction of two little humans.
Putting aside daily productivity, I also just don’t like being around people all the time. It’s sort of how introverts are. For someone who likes to spend time alone, being around my family all day is draining. Of course I love them. But I still need time away.
Sometimes I get a rare hour when both kids are napping and my husband hasn’t come home from work yet. Pure bliss.
As I pulled through another tough day of potty training toddlers and teething babies, I thought to myself why would anyone choose this? Meaning, if someone looked at this one snapshot of my life with no context, they might decide that kids aren’t worth the trouble.
In those moments, I have to remind myself that it’s okay not to like every part of a job. Just because I chose it, that doesn’t mean it will all be great. In fact, I think choosing something in spite of the challenges is a testament to true commitment.
There’s an attitude I sometimes hear circulated that if something doesn’t bring you joy, you shouldn’t be doing it. And while I generally agree that we should find work that brings us joy, that’s not the end of the story. Because even the best jobs have stinky parts. If I were to throw in the towel every time I had to manage a tantrum or wake up in the middle of the night, I would have quit long ago. And don’t even get me started on writing. (All those scenes don’t rework themselves, after all.)
So what if my work doesn’t always bring me joy? If I lived my life with the mindset that it should, I would never find “my calling.” I’d be changing course every time the going got rough. That’s no way to approach life. Because true calling leads us beyond personal comfort.
Jesus had a lot to say on persevering through trials. He never promised that his followers would live easy lives. The Gospels say, “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’” (Luke 9:23).
Wait, daily? Does that mean I have to endure struggles every day when I follow Christ? Why would I put myself through that?
Simply put, because it’s what I’m called to do. Jesus never promised that following him would be easy, but he did promise that his way leads to abundant life.
If pursuing my calling means pushing through another sleepless night, I’ll do it. Not only because I love what I do, but because I love in spite of the hardship. Choosing to love when circumstances are unlovable shows I am committed to my decisions. And choosing Christ even when the world pushes back means living out his words. Because only the narrow road leads to eternity.
This life is full of rough waters, and the path we choose isn’t always the easy one. But if it’s the right path, it’s worth every winding switchback and narrow bypass we travel.