“I am what I am by God’s grace, and God’s grace hasn’t been for nothing.” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:10
It doesn’t matter who you are – old, young, rich, poor, famous, obscure – when you receive God’s grace, it is a game changer! It changes a man like Paul from a murderous persecutor to a life-giving minister, a boy like David from a shepherd to a warrior king! A girl like Esther is transformed into a heroic and noble queen. God’s grace has continuously worked in ordinary people to enable them to do things beyond their own natural ability.
What does this have to do with motherhood? Everything! While some of the pictures I just painted may sound like a lofty ideal found only in storybooks, it is absolute truth that ministers, kings, queens – MOMS – are what they are by the grace of God! Fellow mommies – never forget this!
Hebrews 4:16 tells us to come boldly to God’s throne of grace. Why? So we can receive mercy and find grace to help in a time of need (well-timed help that comes just when we need it). Have you ever felt like you needed divine help to make it through certain moments of motherhood!? Me too! I am so glad to know that I am not alone!
I need grace when:
- I’m pregnant, the house isn’t clean, the laundry isn’t done and my toddler is having one of those days when crying seems to be the only way he’s choosing to communicate!
- I have deadlines to meet, and work to get done, and work just isn’t what I feel like doing today!
- I have the desire to eat healthy, but cooking something from scratch just didn’t work out (again) and I find myself desiring the drive-thru window because at least it’s food and it will get the job done tonight!
- I have a wedding shower or baby shower or birthday party to attend and I am at the store trying to buy a gift and get the kid(s) fed 20 minutes before said event begins!
- I set out to accomplish a lot in a day and it’s looking like one of my greatest accomplishments is going to be taking a shower!
It is in the moments when we NEED God’s grace the most that we must remember that it is available to us if we just ask!
Sometimes we forget what is available to us! Sometimes we forget to simply pray and ask God for the strength, the patience, the wisdom to walk through certain parts of our motherhood journey – BUT GOD tells us to come boldly before Him and ASK HIM for what we need! The best part is that He will give it to us and it will be perfectly timed! How awesome is that!?
I know some amazing, beautiful, godly mommies! Moms that have 7, 8 kids in the home; moms of children with special needs; moms that find time for homeschooling, part time work, serving at church AND genuine friendship! Every day I am inspired by what I see moms doing! Again and again I see the grace of God operating in the lives of these women, helping them in the season that they are in, carrying them through their daily routines and enabling them to have peace even in a day that feels like a hurricane!
“How does she do it!?” we might ask ourselves. The answer is: God’s Grace! God’s grace IS favor, and it IS freely given (not earned); however, my favorite definition of God’s grace is, “God’s divine, enabling power getting the job done when we can’t do it ourselves.”
Is there something you are going through right now, and it just seems impossible to do it in your own strength? Ask God for help. Do you find yourself in certain moments of the day when it seems like your patience just CAN’T be extended for one more second? Pause. Breathe. Pray. Come boldly to your Father and ask for the grace that He is so ready to give you! Do you just need to get over the mommy guilt and embrace the mommy grace? Do it! Even mommies that “seem” perfect will tell you they are what they are by the grace of God!
I, for one, needed A LOT of grace today, and I am so thankful that my God was happy to give me some well-timed help! What He does for me, He’ll do for you my friend!