This past Mother’s Day our Sunday school lesson was out of Proverbs 31, “A Wife of Noble Character”. Normally our Sunday School class is talkative. But that wasn't the circumstance on this day. In case you’re not familiar, a wife of noble character is described as trustworthy, precious, brings good to her family, valuable, takes care of her household, hard worker, smart, helps the poor, thrifty, respects her husband, has strength and dignity, kind in her instructions, her children are blessed through her, she is praised by her husband and she fears the Lord. I came home from church that day wondering if the lesson was focused on our own mother or maybe mother’s we look up to, we may have been more talkative. Because it’s easier to point out worthy characteristics in others. It’s easier to see value in others. And it’s way too easy to tear ourselves down. And in the eyes of the world someone will always be better, do better, and have better. But to God, you are treasured. There could never be a more beautiful you.
Although Mother’s Day has come and gone, and I never posted this story that I wrote that day, it has come up in a couple conversations. Last week my hubby was encouraging me to post it. I revisited the story and began to finish it but I knew it wasn't the right time. Because the Spirit will give me that little nudge, a little go ahead, and I didn't have it…yet. So when it came up again this morning, I initially shook my head at it. But then I paused. Because it’s amazing the way God works. Because it wasn't the right time until now. Because these are the words I need to hear:
It breaks my heart to hear you, a Mother or otherwise talking about your inadequacies. Your failures. I suppose it’s not so much in the talking of those things, it’s being stuck in defeats and living there.
I did that yesterday for about 4 hours.
Because mistakes and imperfections are inevitable. But it’s the response to it that matters.
I responded by having a pity party and wanting to give up.
But the enemy. He would love for you to park right here. Defeated. Knocked down. He always makes such a good case. And it can become easy to believe you’re not good enough. Easy to compare the way you feel on the inside to the way someone looks on the outside.
But I don’t have to respond that. To the lies. To the enemy.
Although everything inside me tries to hold on to the defeat I have to intentionally pause to the truth that God doesn’t want me to live there. In the shadow of what I think I am not. So I set the Word of Truth in my heart and treasure it, living by it and overcoming defeats. Not in my own strength, but through Jesus Christ. Because the only way I bring glory to Him is when I become what God made me to be.
So, “let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. Romans 12:6-7 II The Message
Although Mother’s Day has come and gone, and I never posted this story that I wrote that day, it has come up in a couple conversations. Last week my hubby was encouraging me to post it. I revisited the story and began to finish it but I knew it wasn't the right time. Because the Spirit will give me that little nudge, a little go ahead, and I didn't have it…yet. So when it came up again this morning, I initially shook my head at it. But then I paused. Because it’s amazing the way God works. Because it wasn't the right time until now. Because these are the words I need to hear:
It breaks my heart to hear you, a Mother or otherwise talking about your inadequacies. Your failures. I suppose it’s not so much in the talking of those things, it’s being stuck in defeats and living there.
I did that yesterday for about 4 hours.
Because mistakes and imperfections are inevitable. But it’s the response to it that matters.
I responded by having a pity party and wanting to give up.
But the enemy. He would love for you to park right here. Defeated. Knocked down. He always makes such a good case. And it can become easy to believe you’re not good enough. Easy to compare the way you feel on the inside to the way someone looks on the outside.
But I don’t have to respond that. To the lies. To the enemy.
Although everything inside me tries to hold on to the defeat I have to intentionally pause to the truth that God doesn’t want me to live there. In the shadow of what I think I am not. So I set the Word of Truth in my heart and treasure it, living by it and overcoming defeats. Not in my own strength, but through Jesus Christ. Because the only way I bring glory to Him is when I become what God made me to be.
So, “let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. Romans 12:6-7 II The Message