My Mom Felt like God Didn’t Need Her Anymore. Here Are The Two Things I Told Her.

“I’m past my ‘use-by’ date.” 

My mother said this to me during a phone conversation we were having. She’s still dealing with the grief of having lost my father after nearly 62 years of marriage, leaving her alone in their big house in the country. Her purpose was clear when dad was alive. They were a team. She raised kids, my brother and me, while dad worked long hours. When he started his own business, she was his business partner; taking care of the books and answering phone calls. Then, as life moved on, she became his caregiver during the slow, sometimes hard to watch decline from dementia- a horrible disease.

Now, she feels like maybe God is done with her. My mom has lost sight of her purpose. 

And maybe you’ve lost sight of yours too. It’s easily done when life transitions from one season to another. A parent, moms in particular, whose kids have left home to start college, career jobs, or marriage… Or maybe you’ve just retired, or have been left reeling from a divorce. Maybe like my mom, you’ve lost your life partner. And maybe this has caused you too, to wonder about your purpose. 

So here’s what I’ve suggested that my mom do…

First, pray and ask God to show you His new purpose for your life. Think about the people around you who need help and encouragement. My mom has read her Bible every day for her entire adult life. Just think how much wisdom this has given her! God gives each of us wisdom, if we just ask, and I believe that wisdom is meant to be given away! I’ll bet there’s somebody in your circle that could use some godly wisdom right now!

Second, look and see what God is doing all around you. God is constantly at work. Observe where he is at work, and then jump in! For my mom, there are older ladies in her church who have husbands in nursing or hospice care. Who better than my mother to listen and empathize with what these ladies are going through? 

She has ladies in her grief class who could be invited to lunch. Or the women in her water aerobics class who could be invited to church. So you get the idea; you don’t have to look far to see a need.

Every believer is called to a ministry, and has a work to do for the kingdom. We’re called to serve others, share our faith, and use our unique spiritual gifts. Ask God, with a sincere heart, to show you your purpose. I believe he’ll answer!

Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”