Thursday, April 12, 2007

Loving the Path of Suffering- Motherhood

The main goal of my life is to be pleasing to God, which means to be like Jesus, which means I have a long way to go. But I am filled with hope because I know the process has begun and He is faithful to complete it.

To become like Jesus means daily taking up my cross and following him. My understanding of this means that I must, every day, decide to kill the selfish, sinful nature in me and choose to do what Jesus did, which is serve others. Through this suffering (for it does hurt to esteem others higher than myself) I am gradually pruned and disciplined and changed until it is not I that lives but Christ in me.

I said all that to say that being a mother is THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD! I have many, many opportunities to put others first every day! It really is a joy. Loving is so much easier when you are a mother. Children really are a blessing, but not in the sense that they are fun or that they make you "happy"... They are character-building fast-tracks to becoming like Jesus. Because you truly love someone who causes you so much pain... yet you can choose to live for them sacrificially without a guarantee of appreciation. Isn't that what Christ does for us? I am glad that I have this opportunity. I am in the exact right spot.

Many people will say, "I can't imagine staying home with my kids all day- I'd go insane" or "In order for us to live this lifestyle (where both mom and dad work to pay for the big house or two car payments or whatever), some sacrifices have to be made." Guess who gets sacrificed? The children... their time with their family, their sense of security, their innocence. Is that really worth it? Well, it is if you value your "happiness" over your kids' well-being. Every day as a parent you have to choose between something and your kids' well-being. And choosing my kids over other things time after time has trained me to be more giving and serving, and that is what I'm talking about here today. I'm grateful for this choice. I'm grateful that this is how I can let Christ live through me. Because, although there are an infinite number of ways to become like Christ, this one has got to be the most rewarding.

I really, really love my children.

2 comments:

  1. I often prayed that my children would know how much I loved and sacrificed for them--REALLY know. Thank you Lord, for allowing me to see my prayers answered--and my daughter blessed with that knowledge....and the knowledge of how much HER mother truly loved her and her brothers.

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  2. Looks like we have a lot in common. Thanks for this reminder today.

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