And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
I John 4:16
Living life as a follower of Christ comes with the blessing of living in His love. We know that in our heads, but sometimes, feeling it in our hearts is a challenge.
Especially for mothers.
Motherhood is the hardest job you will ever love. Can I get an amen?
We want to do it well. We want to raise happy, well adjusted, successful, God-honoring children. Children who love Jesus and live for Jesus, always and in all ways.
With the realization we fall short of modeling the life we want them to live comes a guilt that threatens to overwhelm us. Just as we figure out one season of mothering, a new one is ushered in as our children grow into yet another stage of life. It’s on-the-job-training, amplified.
As the mother of four young adults, it seems I just began to figure it all out and then suddenly…it was over. They were grown.
So this is me trying to share a tidbit of what I learned during my season of mothering in the hopes it will encourage you who are still in the throes of it.
I have cried out to God, “Oh, if I could only go back and do it all over again, Lord. There’s so much I would do differently.”
My prayer of lamentation and regret brought reassurance and realization from God. Though not audibly spoken words, I know the truth came from Him:
Even if I were to turn the hands of time backward for you, Laura, you wouldn’t do things differently. It’s the living that brings the learning. And it’s what you do next that counts.
Those words brought peaceful assurance. They were words of grace and truth. They were words of wisdom and mercy. They were words of love.
God’s response blotted out my regret, shame, and disappointment. They spurred me on to choose (again) to live in His love.
Here are my ten Living in His Love truths that I hope bring peace and freedom to you on this Mother’s Day:
- Lover covers all. Yes, you will fail on some days. You will discipline in anger, say something you shouldn’t, and not do something you should. But as long as your kids know you love them, and as long as they know you love Jesus, you are modeling authentic Christianity to them. As long as your kids know you love them, and as long as they know you love Jesus, you are modeling authentic Christianity to them. Click To Tweet
- It’s what you do next that counts. Be willing to own it when you get it wrong. Apologize, try to make it right. And then–move on. Staying in a cycle of regret and shame for yesterday compromises today and tomorrow.
- Your Getting-It-Wrongs can teach your kids just as much as your Getting-It-Rights. Your wrong choices allow you to model what happens next. You have an opportunity to demonstrate what repentance and forgiveness look like lived out. By watching you, your kids can learn that living for Christ doesn’t mean perfection. You equip them for what to do when they get it wrong.
- It’s not all on you. You don’t claim credit for all their successes, so you don’t have to take the blame for their shortcomings either.
- God has no grandchildren. You are not their priest or their Holy Spirit. Our children come to God individually. They will be held accountable for their choices.
- Do the best you can with what you know. As living brings more learning, or as your children grow into a new season, adjust. Pray. Let go. Live in His love.
- Be kind to yourself. We moms have a way of beating up on ourselves. We can certainly be our own worst critics. Try to show yourself the same grace and mercy you happily dole out to your children.
- Stop, drop, and pray. When life is caustic and chaotic, take a little time. Enter into His presence. If you have no words of your own, learn to live in His love by praying His words back to Him. Whatever you’re feeling, you can find a psalm that fits.
- Keep the main thing the main thing. Your children will not remember dirty dishes in the sink or finishing every single page of their math book. And they probably won’t remember your regrettable overreaction from that one time they failed to complete a chore or finish an essay. But they will remember that their mother loved them. Unconditionally. Completely. Passionately. Let love lead out in all you do. Your children will not remember dirty dishes in the sink or finishing every single page of their math book. But they will remember that their mother loved them. Unconditionally. Completely. Passionately. Let love lead out in all you do. Click To Tweet
- Live in His Love. Are you making weekend visits to God’s love? Are you camping out there occasionally? Living in His love requires entering into His presence. If your world feels out of balance and you find yourself at the end of you rope, take some time to breathe. Go to Him. Be quiet and still. Open His Word. Allow His unconditional, sacrificial love to envelope you like a warm blanket.
Now go hug those babies. Even if they are all grown up, they will always be our babies.
Happy Mothers Day, Mom!
