John Piper has said, "Motherhood is more than suffering, but it is not less than it."
There are so many beautiful, wonderful things about being a mom.
Some days as a mom are truly as bright and as beautiful as this picture, taken at the Tetons this last summer.
But other days are just plain HARD! We who are called "Mooooom!" will suffer in many different ways.
For some it may be difficult pregnancies, intense nausea, a traumatic childbirth, lack of sleep, or post-partum depression. For others it will be in the form of a disobedient toddler, kids who don't sleep much, the death or rebellion of a child, a child's chronic illness or disability. Every mom will struggle with the enormity of the task and the fatigue that comes with caring for other human beings around the clock, without days off, for years and years on end.
The question isn't if we will suffer, but how we will suffer.
In the midst of the daily laying-down-of-my-own-needs-and-wants-for-others, we can become
either bitter or better.
We can allow the trials to grow us and make us strong, like trees in a strong wind that dig down deeper into the soil so they don't get blown over.
We can dig into the Word and draw from God's strength, or we can become angry, resentful, and bitter towards our kids.
In the suffering that comes with motherhood, this quote by Alexander Maclaren is a comfort to me, "Each of us may be sure that if God sends us over rocky paths, He will provide us with sturdy shoes."
I came across this verse this morning while I was doing my Bible reading, and I immediately wrote it on an index card and taped it above the kitchen sink where I can see it many times throughout the day:
ReplyDeleteGalations 6:9
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
It really resonated with me because so often, I feel like just giving up. I don't want to be a mother anymore. I feel like the things I do and the sacrifices I make for my family go unnoticed or unappreciated. It's discouraging. But this verse reminds me that what we are doing is planting seeds inside our children. We may not see tangible results right now, but one day, our hard work and the toils we endure will pay off in a harvest of blessing. That is my hope, anyway.
That is one of my favorite verses too Kristin! Thanks for this comment, it is exactly how I feel many days too. I should post it above my kitchen sink too!
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