Ineffective. . .

  Anyone else feel like they beat their head against the wall everyday?

Anyone else feel like nothing they say or do takes root anywhere?

Anyone else feel ineffective, like nothing you do matters?

There are seasons in all our lives where we feel more ineffective than others. I think that the season of small children and housework is one of those. . . yelling the same things to your kids every day, "Stop arguing!" "Pick up your room!" "Take your dishes to the sink!" "Stop arguing!" 

"Whyyyyyy, oh, whhhy, did you use so much toilet paper. . .again!!!"

Don't get me started on the laundry, the groceries, the kitchen. . .all things you do every day that will just need to be done again tomorrow. . or in five minutes. . .

I typed my word into an online thesaurus. . .this is some of what I got. . .

Ineffective- feeble, fruitless, futile, idle, impotent, inadequate, incompetent, indecisive, inefficient, inept, inferior, lame, limited, neutralized, null, powerless, spineless, unable, unavailable, unfruitful, unproductive, unprofitable, unsuccessful, void, withered, worthless

I was kinda surprised to see two more of my lies in the list. And there were others. . . new words for what I have been feeling about myself . .sooooo, are just dealing with more of the same stuff here? New words for the same concept?

Ineffective by definition is: a specific or definite failure to perform a task or accomplish a purpose.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to lead a life that is ineffective. I want what I do to matter. My housework will always be a lesson in futility, but I want to see progress in myself and in my children.

How do I go about changing this ineffectiveness?

2 Peter 1:5

Make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hmm. . .I think I see a recipe here. I like recipes! They are something that, if you follow it correctly, you will achieve the end result. So if I add to my faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love, then those things will keep me from being ineffective. Those sound like lofty ideals, but through the promises of Christ I know that He will use His power work out these things in me if I ask.

James 5:16

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

I am promised that if I remain in Him each day He will shape me and mold me so that I will bear even more fruit.

John 15:1-5

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener, He cuts off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes (cleans) so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

So, how do I remain in Him? By spending time in my Bible and in prayer. Spending time with other like minded people, that are going through the same struggles. We are able to encourage one another. Listening to and watching and reading things that are in line with Him.

But wait, it gets better! Remember that tree from yesterday? Well, here it is again, with another promise!

Psalm 1:1-3 

Blessed is the one. . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither- whatever they do prospers.

If I meditate on His Word, I will bear fruit in season, will not wither (grow weary. . can I get an "Amen!"), and whatever I do will prosper! 

Colossians 1:9-12

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light. 

If I want to live a life pleasing to Him; a life worthy; a life bearing fruit, then He has promised to give me the power to have great endurance and patience to see those things come to pass.

Ephesians 1:19 

And His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Ephesians 6:10

Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Lord, through You I have the power to be fruitful and effective. I can claim your promises to prune me to bear even more fruit. As I fill my heart with Your Word, give me endurance and patience to keep at it. Allow me to see Your fruit in my life each day. Make me into a powerful woman who is used by You, even in the mundane moments of my life that seem like they don't matter.

You will notice that there is nothing in these passages that says the kids will listen to me right away, or that the house work will do itself, but I do see a promise of endurance and patience.

By focusing myself on Him I can cross out my ineffective and claim His promise to be. . .

Powerful.