Growing up as a little girl, I just always assumed that I would be a little mother. That’s what little girls did, right?
We care for our baby dolls, watch over our younger siblings, grow up and then have kids of our own, who will undoubtedly do the same.
It’s the circle of life! It’s what we’re made to do! We’ve all seen the Lion King. Right?!
But in the messy middle, I’ve often wondered, “Was I actually really made for this at all?” and “I wish I was a better mom!”
If you’re a busy mom, like me, you’ve probably had days, weeks or even months where you’ve found yourself not really enjoying motherhood.
Maybe somewhere among all the dirty diapers and sleepless nights, life as a single parent, or the endless house choirs and rebellious teenagers you too have wondered, “Am I really cut out for this?”
If you’ve thought any of these things, this Mother’s Day devotional is for YOU.
Motherhood is a Ministry
Now I know we don’t know each other. I haven’t seen you parent your kids. I’m not sure what the situation you’re currently living in looks like, or what season you’re in the midst of.
But I can tell you this…. if God gave you the absolute privilege of being a mother then yes, you were made to do this. Our heavenly Father makes no mistakes.
This Mother’s Day, it just felt like the right time to remind you that God does not require you to be a perfect parent. In fact, God’s love is enough to cover all of the places and situations where you are not. And that’s straight up good news.
Need some proof? Look no further than God’s Word.
Earlier this year I was doing daily devotions on the book of Psalm.
It felt like a good, easy way to start mornings before the chaos of parenting and work took over. One of the passages included in that specific study was Psalm 127, written by King Solomon.
“Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.”
Growing up in a Christian home, attending Christian schools for most of life, surely at some point I had encountered this Psalm before. But this time, it read different.
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
I’ve certainly never tried to build a house, or a temple at that. But I have tried to build a career, a healthy and happy family, quality friendships, a loving marriage.
But everything you and I strive to do – everything we dedicate ourselves to in our own strength will not last.
So many of the things that we dedicate all our effort to are SO easy for God, if only we would ask Him for his help.
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.
It’s easy to feel like sleepless nights are synonymous with motherhood. And even when the kids aren’t waking us up to rub their back, wipe their noises or bring them some crackers, we often find ourselves awake in our bed, with the cares and worries of our lives circling over and over in our thoughts.
How often am I choosing my own toiling, my inadequate problem solving, my daily worries in place of God’s rest?
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
THIS. This verse reminded me that our children are not a burden, they are not something to keep us up at night or spend all our money. They’re also not to be our source of happiness or our reason for living.
Instead, our kids are a heritage in the journey of motherhood. They are a special possession, an allotted portion gifted to us by God. And just like the arrows of a warrior, one of the greatest blessings of motherhood is seeing how God can take our families and use our kids to bring glory to His kingdom, every single day.
So this Mother’s Day, I would encourage all of us to not just think about the flowers, the gifts or the free coffee mugs we might get at church this year.
Instead, may the Lord remind us on this day of the amazing gift of motherhood itself. Let’s pray that He would remind us of His faithfulness and show us all the awesome ways He is shaping, molding and changing us through the gift of our kids.
Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!
