Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
Doing cross fit right after college, I quickly became in the best shape of my life. I remember doing actual pushups, many of them. My muscles would become fatigued during my cross fit workouts, to a point that my arms would actually give out, and there I would lay, face down on the gym floor, until I had resurrected enough strength to try again. Sometimes I feel this same repetitive strengthening as I go about loving and caring for my children each day. Not all moments are pleasant, and some require I call upon the patience of the Lord, remembering His patience for me.
When life seems too much to bear and our mama muscles give in, we are still held in Jesus’ loving arms. We can lie on the gym floor and rest knowing the plans he has for us are good, even when the conditioning is hard work.
When we experience “mom fails,” (we all experience these from time to time), Jesus gives us grace, and new strength to try again. The Holy Spirit infuses us with divine courage to start anew when we mess up and muddle the brilliant colors of our lives to create a shade of muddy brown because of our sin and selfish tendencies.
Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus’ unfailing strength can pull us through, and enable us to cross the finish line of the goals, plans, and purposes he has for us, in stride.
When mess ups, hardship, and sorrows surround us, Christ anchors our hearts near the lighthouse of hope found in God’s Truth. When we read God’s loving Word, we realize that the plans and purposes the Lord has for us are good. Jesus is able to swap our drab, despondent perspectives with the illuminating light of his hope, reminding us of his love, character, and heavenly goodness when we call upon Christ through prayer.
The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf when we don’t know what to pray. It’s okay to simply say, “Jesus help me.” God alone is able to envelop us in his holy peace, comfort our weary hearts, and carry our heavy burdens.
Sometimes motherhood is a struggle because it requires so much outpouring, and giving of ourselves. I love the reminder this quote provides:
Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others. (-Gordon B. Hinckley)
Being a mom requires us to lay down our lives, and love our neighbor as ourselves. Our neighbors are our children, the ones we do life with and next to, everyday. I am nowhere near perfect in this way, but if we can take baby steps toward loving our little ones in a similar way that Christ loved us- to the point of death on a cross, then we are doing a God-honoring job.
This is our role as mothers in Christ, to love our little ones as ourselves. We feed, nourish our souls, and take care of our bodies everyday. We must strive to love our children to the best of our God given abilities, and pray that the Holy Spirit will meet us halfway.
On the days that seem like more weight than what our feeble arms and hearts can bear, may we call upon Christ’s chain-like strength. May we go to God in prayer, and rest a moment on the gym floor, until Christ’s resurrection power infuses us with the divine ability to stand, to start again, to pursue Christ’s holiness, and chase after glorifying God, each new day. His mercies can cover and carry us when we realize our desperate need, and come before Jesus with contrite, humble hearts.
Steps of Faith:
Do some pushups, and reflect on the fact that motherhood is hard work, but that Christ’s strength gives us all that we need.
Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (NLT)
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