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| Natalie, me, Bryan, and Stephen |
As a mom of adult children, I am often tempted to look back at all my mistakes and shortcomings as a mother and just kick myself! Sometimes I wish I would have handled situations differently. If only I had known then all that I know now! However, two things I know for sure that I got right are that I loved my children with all that is in me, and I taught them diligently about God. Oh, it was more than mere Bible stories and going to church. My hope is that they experienced Jesus through my example, that they could see that He is real, and that He has made a real difference in my life. I hope that they can look back and say that while their mom may not have been perfect, they had no doubt that the fruit of the Holy Spirit thrived in me and through me.
At least, that is my prayer.
OK, I admit that I lost my temper now and then, or I became weary and let some things go that needed attention from time to time. Perhaps not every word that came out of my mouth was praiseworthy. Maybe some whining and complaining leaked out at times. Yep, I even let a little pride infiltrate my decisions, and I may have put some pressure on them to perform so I would look good. However, my hope is that in my humanity, they could see God’s wonderful grace overriding my shortcomings so that they would also accept this grace for themselves. And, praise God for the wonder working power of the Holy Spirit filling in the gap where I fell short!
Moms, let me encourage you. I know all about this “mommy guilt” thing that plagues all moms at one time or another. Often, a mother’s confidence can fluctuate from “I am such an awesome mom” to “I am such a loser mom” in a matter of moments. Don’t let those conflicting feelings dictate to you your success as a mother.
Keep the most important things front and center. Let them see Jesus in you, and let them see that you have a genuine, passionate love for God, and not just a formality of religion. The more you seek God in your life, the more your children will see Him in your life. Get into God’s Word and allow it to transform your heart, your mind, your character, and your speech. Allow traits such as love, loyalty, peace, joy, gentleness, wisdom, generosity, self-control, honesty, hard work, kindness, etc. always trump self-centeredness, indulgence, laziness, negativity, bitterness, dishonesty, malice, etc. When your children see these in you, then you will likely also see these in your children.
So, what if you have screwed up in the past? Is there hope? That is the beauty of serving our awesome God. He can redeem our past and turn it into a priceless treasure. He then gives us a clean slate! You may not be able to change the past, but you can learn from it and start fresh with the help of the Holy Spirit. He can make all things new! If you don’t know Him, now is the perfect time to get acquainted. You can read about it right here.
As mothers, we have the privilege of modeling Christ to our kids. That means so much more than buying designer labels, putting them in every sport, indulging their every whim, or striving to compete with other moms with our “super-children.” If we seek Christ first, all the other stuff will fall into place just so, and our kids will fulfill their extraordinary, God-designed destinies. That is true success as a mom!
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 NIV
