One of the hardest things I’ve learned on this journey was truly understanding the meaning of contentment. In Philippians 4:12-13 says “…I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” As believers, we do not live up to the world’s standards of motherhood. We are set apart to raise our children with passion and purpose. This can be hard at times, especially when we feel inadequate for the task.
Here are a few things to remember when we are learning to be content in motherhood:
Embrace your limitations. God demonstrates His strength through our weaknesses. Our weaknesses also cause us to depend more on Him. And realistically, none of us can do it all. The good thing is, you don’t have to!
Don’t compare yourself to others. In this age of social media, we are constantly bombarded with images of perfection. Most people only show the “highlight reels” with all the best of their life, so it’s easy to think that they have it all together. The comparison game will have you in a constant state of frustration, unappreciative of what you have and maybe even resentful towards your family for not living up to your expectations of perfection.
Show your children that they too need Jesus and that their mom is far from perfect. Our children need to see is break down, call on the Lord, pray, and get in the Word. We’re their first teacher, and that includes modeling what a relationship with God looks like. They also need to hear us ask God for forgiveness and apologize to them when we’ve wronged them. This shows humility before God and teaches them the importance of admitting wrongdoing is to maintained good relationships with other people.
Realize that God has called you the ministry of motherhood. Children are a gift from God. Therefore, if you have them, then God intended for you to enter the ministry of motherhood. That is all the validation you need. Don’t question it. And if He calls you, He will equip you for the task, if you allow Him to.
Remember that God is God. Not you! Ultimately, everything will work out according to His will. Every situation in your life and your children’s life is to accomplish His purposes. So don’t be too hard on yourself. In the end, you’ll even see how God took your mistakes and worked something good in your children’s lives.
Remember these 5 things as you go about your day. As you do, you’ll begin to find that God has everything you need, and you’ll find joy and contentment in motherhood.
