Sometimes, we can forget that we’re worthy. In April, I realized that after a long season of loss, I needed a break. A good, long break. I love my work, truly, but I needed a rest from it. It seemed a bit impossible. We were understaffed, overbusy, and this was the wrong time to take a break.
It was the right time, though. I realized it when I started to drop the balls I was juggling. Forgetting things that others were waiting on, forgetting deadlines, forgetting to take meat out of the freezer for supper, forgetting to communicate back, forgetting lunch dates, forgetting my daughter’s appointment. Forgetting, and dropping the ball. It was made painfully clear by a couple of people that I wasn’t doing enough, that there was no grace in these circumstances, withdrawing kindness – saying that what I was, what I had to offer, was not enough. Worse, I was tempted to believe I actually deserved their assessment.
My whole career, I have diligently worked to not be the person who drops the ball. I’m the firstborn. The leader. The planner. The capable one. It’s been that way since I was small, actually, and I’m painfully aware of this strength that is also a weakness. And believe me, my coach & I have talked through my over-diligence score on my Birkman results many times to put things in perspective. My identity, although I know better, can still be so tied to diligence.
So, what happens when I don’t have capacity? When details slip past and my capability is diminished? I can forget my real worth and feel only failure and shame. (Isn’t it funny how we can hold ourselves to higher standards than we’d ever hold another to?)
I’d had to be diligent about an awful lot of extra things in that season, but I couldn’t be diligent in everything. There was just too much. It simply wasn’t possible. So, I took that rest that I needed. I talked and thought through what success looks like for me, which is a freeing thing.
The first book I really read during my three weeks of sabbatical was Mary DeMuth’s “Worth Living”, and it was well-timed. I needed to read her words about suffering not negating our worth, and being weakly strong. In those days when what I needed most of all was rest, I felt “weakly strong” indeed. I read her words about what our primary job as women is: daughterhood. God’s loved daughters.
My favourite excerpt from “Worth Living” is probably this (although I’ve got lots of folded pages and highlights)
“We are worthy when we sleep.
We are worthy when we’re sick and cannot move.
We are worthy when depression immobilizes our resolve.
We are worthy when cancer steals our strength.
We are worthy when age slows us way down.
We are worthy when we fail.
We are worthy when we fail others.
We are worthy when our to-do list lies fallow, untouched.
We are worthy when we hurt.
We are worthy when we suffer persecution.”
As much as I do a good enough job at being hard on myself, Mary’s words also reminded me that there are “worth-stealers” in our lives. They are in my life, whether I like it or not, and I need to make the choice to not listen to their words about my unworthiness. Those people who told me, in their own unique ways, that I was not enough? They were not right. I had, without realizing it, believed them and allowed myself to be diminished by others instead of trusting the loving heart of God who says that I am loved just as I am – at all times. In the wrong times. The tough times. The good times. The resting times and the productive times. Even in the times when we’ve completely dropped the ball.
And when I was resting? I dropped more of those balls. My friend Elizabeth recently shared a thought with me about juggling. On how to discern which of the balls are crystal and will shatter when dropped, and which are rubber and will bounce back. Most of our balls are made of rubber, friends. They can drop in the corner and stay there until you pick them up. And if you never pick them up? That’s probably fine too. Your life is far more than your never-ending to-do list. Far more.
I suspect that knowing your real worth and identity makes it far easier to discern which balls to drop. For me, it is that laying in bed at night, knowing my sweet girl is sound asleep, hearing my husband’s deep breathing (which is a kind way of saying snoring), with a moment alone with my thoughts and Jesus, when I say to myself, “this is what is real. This is life.” And guess what? Even though they are my balls made of “crystal”, I forgot to pick up my daughter, forgot to make supper, and forgot any number of things for my dear husband – AND THEY ARE STILL ALIVE. Shocking, right? Here’s to being worthy regardless, friend.
What balls need to drop in your life?
Who are the worth-stealers you need to stop listening to?
How do you measure your worth?
If you liked this, you may enjoy On Learning To Disappoint Others
Oh my goodness, Ellen. Yes! My Top Strengthsfinder strength is responsibility. Firstborns unite! I live for taking care of all the things. It’s both a strength and a weakness and I’m wise to it, but still need to reminded that my worth isn’t tied to my usefulness. I told you that this book was such a gift to me, the right words at the right time, and it’s true. I’m now passing it on to my firstborn, hoping she’ll read it and know her worth in a new way. Thank you!
We would be dangerous together, getting everything done! Did you know that almost all presidents and prime ministers have been firstborns? 🙂 It is absolutely a strength and a weakness, and one that for some reason needs to be pointed out to me again and again and again and again in relation to worth. Think we’ll totally get it by the time we get to heaven?
I really love the idea of rubber balls versus crystal ones. The problem comes when we treat everything like crystal! I’m so grateful you got comfort and grace from the book.
YES! And isn’t it weird how the busier we get, the more frantically we can get, and blinded? Thinking that everything is crystal? Crazy making. Thank you for writing your heart – it really did bless me in the best way.
Beautifully written my friend! From one first born to another, your words resonated loud and clear. We ARE worthy simply because we were created by the One who is the ultimate first-born! If anyone understands our complexities, He does!
Thank you for this. It’s just the right time for me to read this! I love what you say about listening to worth stealers. Sometimes it just take a rational voice (usually my husband) who kindly asks, “why are you doing that/listening to them?” To help me realize that what someone says about us is not who we are. We should really apply more of the things we tell our kids to our own lives.
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Ellen, I’ve just now had a chance to finish Mary’s book and come on here to post – sorry for the delay. I see you shared the balls quote – I’m so glad…I love that quote. Wish I could remember whose brilliance gets the credit!! I love how you were able to hear permission to stop in this book and take care of yourself through sabbatical.
I also love how the same book can speak to different people differently. For me, I have been on this pursuit lately – or maybe I should call it a focus? – to follow “the cloud”. Like the Israelites did in Numbers 9. Because I am so keenly aware that there are many really good ideas, but I only want to pursue God ideas…the ones over which the cloud hovers.
I was struck with the section on being prunable, and Mary’s questions “What if what I want isn’t what God wants? What if I have been coddling dying branches in hopes of doing something significant? What if the real work God has for me has been trying to grow, but I’ve been neglecting it because I’ve clung to the deadwood?” It’s like Mary was in my head during my prayer times, saying to God that I only want what He wants…I only want to follow the cloud. The image of clinging to the deadwood is so poignant for me…because it offers such a perfect picture of how useless and unhelpful anything other than His desires for me actually are. You get slivers. It sticks to your clothes. It makes a mess. It is prickly and scratchy. The only thing it is good for is burning…it’s perfect fuel for a big destructive fire if we gather up enough of it.
I’m thankful for another thing to use in those moments with God, “Please help me to know when I’m clinging to the deadwood”.