This is the time of year when my husband literally works from sun up to sun down. On top of his job as a professor at the university in our town, he is also on staff at our church as well as a tax preparer for nearly 50 to 60 ministers nationwide. This means that every evening as we unwind as a family, Tim sits faithfully at his desk crunching numbers and trying to help people save as much as possible on their tax return.

As I thought about the word “taxed” tonight, I couldn’t help but think of the definition that refers to stress or being totally maxed out on time commitments. Feeling taxed is not pleasant!

I wonder how Mary and Joseph felt as they traveled to Bethlehem. Was this an event that left everyone feeling “taxed?” If so, I am sure that discovering that there was “no room in the inn” didn’t make life any better for them. I wonder if Joseph ever looked at Mary great with child and thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” Or I wonder if Mary ever looked down and thought, “Why me, Lord?”

Isn’t life like this? So often God calls us to do something that seems quite “taxing.” Many times He stretches us out of our comfort zone. Mary could definitely relate to being stretched beyond comfort!

If only we could see the whole picture! If only we could understand the Divine plan that we are part of!

The next time you are doing something that you feel God has called you to do, and you find yourself saying, “What have I gotten myself into?” or “Why me, Lord?” Remember Mary and Joseph! They were “taxed.” Yet they fulfilled God’s plan beautifully. So beautifully, in fact, that we place their family picture on our walls or on our shelves in statue form every Christmas!

The Nativity scene……..not a normal thought during tax season, but tonight as I hear Tim shuffling papers in the other room at midnight, I can’t help but smile and say, “Thank you, Lord,” for calling Tim to a life of ministry. Yes, it is taxing, but it is worth it!

What have you been called to do that has stretched you out of your comfort zone?