Have you ever felt, as a Mom, that maybe God just doesn't get what you are going through? How exhausting a day can be? How hard is it not to drive yourself crazy with worry? How self-control, when you are worn down and stressed, is almost impossible to maintain? After all, Jesus was a single man; how could He understand what it is to be a Mom?
I have good news! The Bible does speak directly to us as parents. Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." These tender words affirm that God sees the work that we are doing in our homes is seen and valued by our loving God. He promises to lead us on this wild ride of motherhood gently!
Our culture sends us so many mixed messages about what motherhood should look like. It should be beautiful and overwhelming, we should all be able to work hard outside of our homes while mothering, but we should feel bad about being good at our jobs. If we stay at home, we are not using our brains or giving up some valuable part of our lives for something less valuable than a career. We should be perfect, but wait; no one is perfect at this. Our homes and bodies should be magazine ready at all times, while real live kids need our attention for pretty much every waking hour. Needless to say, finding our way as Christ-following Moms can be challenging.
I have good news, though! God has little to say about whether you stay home or work full time. If your house is a disaster or if you love organization. He doesn't care what your jeans size is or if your kids are quick learners in school or need a little more time. As with all things, his call to motherhood has everything to do with keeping our hearts surrendered to Him. To follow his way as a role model and leader in your home. It's about intentional living and faithfully seeking His wisdom for every milestone your family faces. It's about being present rather than striving for perfection.
Here are a few places from the Bible that help show us what God is calling us towards as Moms:
1. Motherhood Is a Gift
Psalm 127:3 "Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him."
Our children are a blessing! Sometimes it doesn't always feel like that. Some days, they can mostly feel like big pains, but this job was given to us to reward us. He entrusts us with the great work of co-creating and stewarding his beloved humanity. It's an honor to be a parent.
That's where the idea of intentionality is born. We see that this is holy, honorable work, and as a result, we have to ensure we are not just doing it on autopilot. Thought, prayer, and effort are required of us. How do we cultivate the fruits of the Spirit in our kids? What actions best communicate to them that they have value? How can we guide them away from the evil one? The answers to those questions are different for every Mom! We all face different challenges and have access to different privileges. God is there to help us use what he has given us to shepherd our children intentionally.
2. Motherhood Is an Honor
Proverbs 31:28 "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."
Motherhood is a role that deserves honor. We are the servant leaders in our homes who do so much to guide the souls of our children and husbands. Godly motherhood should be celebrated!
Why does this celebration matter? When first of all, God is a God that values respect, honor, and praise. He wants us to be encouragers of each other. In our world, the work of women and mothers can be very unseen. Taking time to see us can be so powerful. No one sees the hundreds of loads of laundry we move around the house. The butts we clean. The fights we break up. And so on. But remembering that this is a role that God honors brings meaning to this menial feeling work.
Those dishes you cleaned, those board books you read over and over, and the hugs you doled out matter to God. Showing up for our families communicates God's love to our kids. Our faithful presence, not our perfection, tells them they can live secure and purposeful lives.
3. Mothers Are Teachers
Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it"
We are our children's first teachers. Even in the womb, they are learning our voice, and once they emerge, it's that same voice that brings them comfort and security. Our children look to us for guidance, encouragement, care, and truth at every age and stage! What we share with them helps to inform who they become and the beliefs they cling to throughout their lives. Of course, we can't always control if our children remain faithful or choose another path, but we have an immense influence on their chosen path.
A friend of mine always reminds me that mothering is not about being successful but about being faithful. We must be faithful to love, share truth, and seek out God's wisdom for our families at every age and stage. Success is not what it's about. Obedience to God's word and teaching through our words and deeds to our kids at every turn is the standard we are called to.
4. Motherhood Is Work
Proverbs 31:27 "She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness."
Every Mom already knows this, but the idea that we became moms so we can stay home and eat Bon Bon (whatever they are?) at home on the couch is ludicrous. Our job, all hours of the day, is to watch over the ways of our household. It's also important to take care of ourselves and be mindful of burnout, but our brains are wired to weave together all the details of our families and do all we can to make it happen. Those spaghetti brains they talk about women having were made that way so we could be relentless in how we watch over our house.
A few months back, I felt a nudge in my heart to check on my son's tablet use. We had rules around how we used it, but I just had a check in my spirit. One night at 11 pm, when I usually am asleep, I hear him in the hall and feel the Holy Spirit tell me to check his tablet. I did and saw he was not following the rules.
In his fear, he denied any wrong. I told him we could see everything he did, and I also told him that I have the Holy Spirit. Even when you think you are cunning enough to get around the rules, his Spirit is helping me protect you from the evil one. I'm not sure he liked that answer, but it's true! With God's Spirit, we are called to do what we can to protect our homes from the evil one. He is on the prowl, and especially with the internet, he can so very easily infiltrate our homes. We must be vigilant and in tune with God's whispers on this journey.
God created motherhood in the beginning, but it wasn't made to be an easy journey. From the start of sin, our pain as moms has increased. We relentlessly try to keep the evil one out, but it takes constant diligence. Thankfully he is with us and promises to lead us. I am so grateful for his guiding hand!
Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for My Daily Bible Verse Devotional and Podcast, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, the Daily Devotional App, she has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.