Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The Thankless Job...

I have been thinking lately about what moms say (and even I've said many times up until maybe 3 or 4 days ago).  "Being a mom is a thankless job".  I understand what is meant by this statement but I think I am a little off when I say this.  We, as moms, don't get the kind of thanks that we would like to get from people, our spouses, or our children, but more important we get the approval, and I believe as I've been feeling the last couple of days, we get thanks from God!  WOW!!!  Isn't that amazing!  The only approval that I want is from the Lord!  I don't want anybody else's approval more than His. 

He has entrusted me with 5 special, precious, unique girls!  He has great plans for them and for myself; part of that is to rear these girls to the fullness that GOD has for them... not the fullness I have for them!  I praise the Lord for this because on my own I don't have much to offer except a lot of faults, but God has ALL things and He only gives good and perfect gifts to us! 

In my almost 8 years of mothering I've had some kind and encouraging words spoken to me as well as some mean and hateful things spoken to me.  Some things that built me up and some things that tore me down.  When people speak kind and encouraging words to me I try and see them as people sent by God to be a comfort to me especially when my girls seem to have LOST THEIR MINDS!  (If you're a mom you'll know what I'm talking about!)  But when someone comes along and says something that's not so nice or very discouraging with their words, actions, and sometimes even their looks, I have to know and be secure in the way God sees me and not the way that man sees me.

In the Bible it talks about how we, as Christ followers, are aliens in this world.  We should act differently, talk differently, be different.  I believe that this ultimately comes from knowing who we are in Christ and not allowing anybody to persuade us differently.  And in this I know I need to watch my tongue and what I say to others so I'm not one to say hurtful things but be an uplifter instead.

I knew this before but I'm understaning at a greater level that my children are not my own.  They are a gift from God for God!  I need to pray daily... hourly... for wisdom, which He grants (Godly wisdom is far greater than human wisdom) so that my girls will be exactly what God wants them to be, not what I want them to be because I don't necessarily have a full picture of what their greatness is.  I get a picture of their greatness but I'm definitely NOT all-knowing. 

Motherhood is not a thankless job.  If you don't feel appreciated for what you are doing with your children that will effect eternity then I encourage you to examine your heart and ask yourself "who am I looking to for appreciation".  I know I need this advice more than most that's why I believe I've had this on my heart so much lately.  God is the one I would like the appreciation and encouragement from more than any other!  And remember we are just borrowing our children for this life.  They are ultimately God's children not ours!  Thanks for letting me share my heart today.  Go and make great disciples out of your children.