The gift we all need as mothers to survive motherhood and I’m not talking about something you can buy or make. Keep reading this article written by Deb Ober to discover two ways to survive motherhood.
We have established that we are all broken, sinful people in need of a Savior. And we know that Jesus came to set us free! This is what our next three chapters of our Summer Book Club focus on–freedom.
But what does freedom look like?
Where does it come from and how do we find it and live in it? I’m glad you asked. Let’s go to the only reliable source, the Bible.
In Galatians 5:1 Paul writes, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Let’s break this verse down a bit. First of all how did Christ set us free? Well, remember how we acknowledged earlier that we are not enough. None of us can be good enough in our own strength. We aren’t the perfect mother, wife, friend, or person that we wish we could be.
There is only One who has ever been perfect and that, of course, is Jesus. But He just didn’t stay up in heaven being perfect and looking down on all of us failing at life and laughing.
No! That’s what’s so remarkable about Jesus! He came down into our mess. He came and lived a perfect life among all the same trials and temptations that we all face, and then He allowed himself to be crucified even though He had never done anything wrong.
Why would He do that? Well, He did it to set us free. Free from sin and death. Free from condemnation and having to work hard to prove our worth. Because the moment He died on that cross, He took all of our sin, failure, shame and guilt with Him.
In some miraculous, incredible, not-even-a-little-bit-fair supernatural transaction, He traded His perfection for our imperfection and called it even.
What?? Who does that?? And WHY would He do it?? Because that’s just how much He and His Father LOVE you. And me. It’s almost more than I can comprehend. But I try and keep on trying to understand it, to GET IT, really get it deep down because if I really get His grace-filled love and live like it’s true, it changes everything.
Martin Luther said,”To be convinced in our hearts that we have forgiveness of sins and peace with God by grace alone is the hardest thing.” And that is OUR part of the transaction.
Just like any other gift we are given, Even though Jesus paid our debt and sacrificed everything for us, it doesn’t really belong to us until we accept it.
The first way to “Survive Motherhood” is to accept His gift of Grace that only comes through Jesus.
Grace just means that someone is giving us something we don’t deserve. We didn’t earn it, can’t do anything to pay for it, it’s just a gift. The grace of God, the most precious gift. Have you received it?
If you aren’t sure, reach out to us or talk to a trusted friend, but don’t let another day go by without accepting His gift. Because this gift not only means that when we die we will be in Heaven with Him for eternity, but it means that we can walk in freedom today! And every day! Because it is for freedom that Christ has set us free!
The second part of our verse says, “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” So why would anyone ever go back to slavery after tasting freedom? Well, I don’t know about you, but I do it all the time.
Whenever we feel like we don’t measure up, either to our own expectations or to someone else, and we forget to shut down those thoughts and replace them with the fact that we are already perfect in God’s eyes. Not because of anything we’ve done, but ONLY because of what Christ has done for us.
If you have accepted Jesus as your savior, every time God looks at you He’s looking through His Jesus glasses! You say, “But I yelled at my kids today!” God says, “You look perfect like Jesus to me!” “But I didn’t get the laundry done, and my kids ate frozen pizza for dinner again! “You look just like Jesus to me!” I can’t seem to stick to my diet and when my husband got home I said “Tag, you’re it!” God says, “ALL I SEE IS JESUS”
Now, don’t get me wrong, God isn’t pretending that we don’t sin. He sees it all. Every word and action that we regret, even the thoughts that you wouldn’t share with your best friend. God sees it all and He knows your heart, and because of Jesus He says, “I remember forgetting that. The day you accepted Christ, you became perfect to Me.”
1 John 3:20 says, “Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.” We need to stop living by how we feel, and listen to what God says about us. The next time you feel guilty, remember that God is greater than your feelings, He knows everything, and because you’ve accepted Jesus He calls you His perfect daughter.
But the question still remains, how can we stop sinning? How can we improve in our parenting, become a more supportive wife, make better use of our time if we don’t constantly feel guilty and ashamed, and keep promising to try harder and do better tomorrow? Well, have you tried that? Is it working for you? I sure have, and all it did was make me feel like more of a failure.
Secondly, we “Survive motherhood” by embracing His love and walking in it.
When we realize that we are completely known, loved and accepted by God we can relax into that love and begin to obey him from a place of security instead of trying to perform to make him happy or earn his love.
What a difference! Jeannie reminds us on p.140,
Saving faith is what produces good works-not the other way around. When we believe we are His beloved, we will live like His beloved.”
And all the weary mamas said AMEN!
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