Affirmation and Recognition

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. 

– Zephaniah 3:17

Exploring the downtown of Breckenridge, CO, my husband and I wandered into a casual restaurant for dinner. Within seconds of being seated our waitress, Jessica appeared. Smiling and joyful, she took our order and sped away. While we waited, I kept catching Jessica out of the corner of my eye. 

First, I noticed her bounding up two flights of stairs carrying a tray loaded with enough food for a family. Less than a minute later, she was scrubbing down the table in front of us, also making sure that the floor and window around it were sparkling clean. Next, she sped by with a tub full of dirty dishes, heading to the kitchen. Seconds later, she burst back out through the doors with her arms full of clean silverware for an entire section of the restaurant. 

My husband and I marveled at her incredible work ethic and stamina. We thought she must have been a manager, or even an owner to work that hard with such attention to detail. You know me…I had to ask. So when our dinners arrived, I blurted out, “Wow Jessica! You sure are busting your butt here. Are you the manager or an owner?”

Jessica only laughed, “No I’ve worked here for nine years. See that woman at the front door? She’s the manager. She doesn’t recognize all that I do around here.”

How often do you feel the same way? You work your butt off taking care of kids and no one sees how hard it truly is? You clean the kitchen and empty the dishwasher AGAIN and no one thanks you. You complete the same mundane tasks at work but have never received a single compliment. You volunteer faithfully but wonder if it even makes a difference. 

Who recognizes what you do to keep your boat afloat, the family fed, or your house functioning day after day?

I learned the hard way not to look to others for recognition but look to the Lord for affirmation. 

God sees you folding the laundry, cleaning the toilet, working diligently, and loving faithfully. He takes great delight in you and rejoices over you (Zephaniah 3:17). He waits for you to invite Him into every single area of your life. 

You can practice the presence of God by:

• Praying for the people whose clothes you are folding.
• Listening to praise music while cleaning your house.
• Read a Bible passage in the area you’re trying to grow right before leaving the house. (or put it in the car so you see it every time you get in and out)
• Invite God to join you wherever you go or whatever challenge you face.

Before you know it, when your 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call sounds, you’ll realize you’ve spent the entire day with God close by your side. His presence will grant you joy even in mundane tasks and daily routines. 

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him. – Colossians 3:17

Before leaving the restaurant, we left Jessica a large tip with a thank you note. On our way out, I stopped at the manager’s station and praised Jessica’s hard work and excellent hospitality. Even if the manager doesn’t recognize Jessica as a gift, God certainly does. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World

Thank you for being a part of The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement