Hope for the Troubled Mom

“’for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.’”
Luke 1:48-49

Being a mom is hard stuff.  It is hard when you are trying to get pregnant and are unable to.  It’s hard when you continue to have miscarriages and have to grieve the loss of the children you’ve never been able to meet.  It’s hard when it’s unexpected, and maybe you’re unmarried or financially unprepared to care for a new life.  It’s hard when the baby comes, and the pain is immense.  It’s hard when you’re woken up every few hours to a hungry, crying baby.  It’s hard when your toddler starts saying “no” and rebels against your loving authority over them.  It’s hard when they get sick and you have to watch them suffer.  It’s hard when they don’t follow your advice and make bad choices.  It’s hard to see their hurt when you sin against them.  There are a lot of hard things about being a mom.

You can hear Mary’s shock in these verses, her awe that God would look on a humble young woman such as her and choose to save the world through the fruit of her womb.  She must have known how ill equipped she was for the task at hand.  Seeing the grace and the will of God to choose her, in her humble estate, caused her heart to overflow with worship and praise.

I think for most of us mammas, we can feel inadequate at times.  I can tell you a million moments in my life with my 4 children that I wish I could take back.  I am prone to question myself, to feel guilt and regret over the many times I’ve failed my children, whom I love more than anything on this earth.  But God gives us so much hope that it is faith alone that saves not only us, but our children.

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
2 Timothy 1:5–7

This past week our beloved pastor and his family had to say goodbye to his mom when she passed away suddenly.  It is amazing to see the legacy of this woman I didn’t know very well lived out in the lives of her children and grandchildren.  Because she loved Jesus, and shared her love for Jesus with her kids, many have been and will be saved.  I can call her blessed because of the testimony I see in her son preaching Jesus every Sunday.  I can call her blessed because of the love for Jesus that her other children and grandchildren have.  Notice that Paul doesn’t speak at all of the works of Lois or Eunice.  We don’t know the mistakes they made, we don’t know the successes they had, we don’t know about their social standing, we don’t know about their finances.  What we do know is they had faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 

So hang on, weary moms.  It is faith that will save your kiddos.  The Lord looks upon your humble estate, and he is working through you to share your faith with your children.  Through all of your mistakes and failings, through all of the hurt and tears, God is working.  Mary’s song wasn’t one of self-righteousness.  She didn’t give us a to-do list for raising children.  We don’t know the words she spoke or misspoke, the times she may have lost her temper, the times she may have felt like a failure.  What we do know, is that Mary trusted in God fully.  Mary was with Jesus from his birth through his agonizing death. We know of Mary’s faith.  Our legacy is in our faith.  What are you passing on?