Hearing God’s Voice During Flu Season
“Whatever God wants, as He wills, when God wills” (St. María de las Maravillas de Jesús).
Editor’s note: This Advent, the Catholic Women in Business team is exploring the many ways God calls us to cooperate with his will and how we can proclaim our own “fiat.” Join our writers as they share their personal and professional experiences, lessons learned, and reflections from Scripture and the saints on discernment, trust, and surrender. Read more here.
The fall always seems to knock the wind out of me as my family’s routine transitions from lazy summer days to full-time school and extracurriculars. This year was no exception. While I had counted on some extra time during school hours for my writing business, more commitments and responsibilities (and so much more driving!) also bombarded my schedule.
A restlessness seemed to move into my mind like a subtle fog; something felt off in terms of business growth. Even with the kids in full-time school, I hadn’t found that holy tension—that elusive balance—of being a working mom. My time with my kids seemed to be preoccupied by thoughts of work, and my work time was plagued by constant interruptions. While I knew this is a common conflict felt by mothers everywhere, I still felt terribly alone in the struggle.
Sudden Stillness
On the advice of my spiritual director, I added St. Josemaría Escrivá’s Prayer to the Holy Spirit to my morning prayer time, asking God to speak his wisdom and help me navigate the opposing passions of my heart.
Then … my kids all came down with the flu.
It began on a Friday evening, when my oldest started shivering despite the unseasonably warm temperatures outside. The next day, three more kids came down with a high fever. Our living room became a makeshift infirmary as I tended to four kids miserably lying on the couch. But, aside from requests for Tylenol and Advil, everyone was mostly quiet and still. With such minimal activity happening, an unusual calmness settled in our home.
Although having a household of sick kids isn’t ever desirable, the unexpected onset of an illness has the power to halt the regular busyness of life—and I grabbed hold tightly to the pervasive silence, taking the time to lean into God’s voice and try to understand his will.
As the days wore on, the caretaking became more intense and tiresome, and my initial confusion of work/life balance seemed to weigh even heavier on my heart. Would I ever be able to grow my business in this season of life? Was I selfish for honoring dreams beyond motherhood? Could this tension ever be reconciled?
Lord, that I may see!
The Whispered Fiat
Finally, as fevers broke and physical energy slowly returned to my family, I realized that I was, indeed, right where I was supposed to be: serving my family in whichever capacity was needed at the moment. God had allowed a necessary pause from the everyday runaround, providing an opportunity to pour myself out for my family with responsive gentleness.
My kids needed me, not my household management calendars and chore charts, my writing skills, or even my driver’s license.
Yes, Lord, I will serve my family, however it may look.
Maybe our fiat isn’t a thunderclap of an epiphany. Maybe it’s a whisper to do the less glamorous, ordinary acts of service with thoughtful care and great love.
When my kids were finally ready to return to school and our busy routine seemed to be kicking into gear once again, a thought dawned on me as I was grabbing the keys and heading out the door—an idea that would support my husband’s business, contribute to the family budget, and still honor my own aspirations.
It was as if God had given me the blueprint after I had said “yes” to the work.
Plans are in the works now for a business pivot, and I am overwhelmed with a peace and excitement that I haven’t experienced in a while.
Sister, if you’re feeling muddled and confused, and growing impatient to hear God’s voice, make peace with simply loving God and serving the people around you. He is faithful and eager to remove the scales.
Kimberly Lynch is a former French teacher who ventured into the world of copywriting and freelance writing. She enjoys a strong cup of coffee in the morning and a good book in the evening. Kimberly is also the fundraising chair and board member for Phoenix Project, a local domestic violence agency. She resides in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband and seven children. Visit her online at her website, PassingThroughMountains.com, and on Instagram and Facebook.