Grace to You, Mom!
This post by Chris Anderson comes from Gospel Meditations for Mothers (Day 1).
“Grace to you…. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 5:28)
It’s tough to be a mom, especially in the early years. I often joke with people I see chasing a toddler: “It gets easier… in about ten years.” Moms are often stressed, sometimes depressed, and always in need of rest. Always.
Mom, you of all people need to drink deeply of God’s grace. Rightly understood and applied, God’s grace is your spiritual oxygen… your lifeline… your only reliable coping mechanism.
It’s no accident that the apostle Paul begins and ends his letters by saying, “Grace to you.” Take a moment to look at the beginning and ending of every book he writes. Almost invariably, he offers his readers a blessing, praying for them to experience God’s grace, and often God’s peace. It’s not just a sanctified salutation. It’s more than a mere formality. It’s a prayer. And it’s a lesson.
You—mom!—need grace, right now. Today. You needed it to save you from your sins (Ephesians 2:8–9). But you also need it to help you grow as a Christian—you will only grow if you “grow in grace” (2 Peter 3:18). And you need it to help you endure times of suffocating difficulty (2 Corinthians 12:7–10). Grace to you, mom. Sufficient grace to you!
How will you know if you’re experiencing grace? Well, you’ll be growing more and more like Jesus. You’ll evidence the fruit of the Spirit. You’ll resist besetting sins. But in your role as a mom, what are some telltale signs that you’re enjoying God’s daily provision of grace to you? Here are a couple practical indicators:
Our Desperate Need for Daily Grace
It’s no accident that the apostle Paul begins and ends his letters by saying, “Grace to you.” Take a moment to look at the beginning and ending of every book he writes. Almost invariably, he offers his readers a blessing, praying for them to experience God’s grace, and often God’s peace. It’s not just a sanctified salutation. It’s more than a mere formality. It’s a prayer. And it’s a lesson.
You—mom!—need grace, right now. Today. You needed it to save you from your sins (Ephesians 2:8–9). But you also need it to help you grow as a Christian—you will only grow if you “grow in grace” (2 Peter 3:18). And you need it to help you endure times of suffocating difficulty (2 Corinthians 12:7–10). Grace to you, mom. Sufficient grace to you!
Three Signs that You’re Enjoying Daily Grace
How will you know if you’re experiencing grace? Well, you’ll be growing more and more like Jesus. You’ll evidence the fruit of the Spirit. You’ll resist besetting sins. But in your role as a mom, what are some telltale signs that you’re enjoying God’s daily provision of grace to you? Here are a couple practical indicators:
You won’t spend your time berating yourself.
You’re constantly tempted to berate yourself for your imperfections as a mom, as a wife, or as a person. Such low-grade guilt or high-grade condemnation is from Satan, the Christian’s accuser. He’s got accusations covered—he doesn’t need your help! When you’re experiencing grace, you’ll stop beating yourself up.
You won’t constantly fret that you’re ruining your kids.
You’ll relax. Do your best. Apply the Scriptures. But relax. There’s a great mom in the church I pastor. She has four young kids, and at times her life is chaotic. During a recent parenting class, she once blurted out: “Let’s be real. Some days a well-chosen Netflix video is the only thing that keeps me sane.” We all laughed, and other moms looked a little less stressed. Letting a video or a game babysit your kids for a bit while you get dinner—or a nap—isn’t the end of the world. When you’re experiencing grace, you’ll probably relax a little.
You won’t be either so envious or so critical of other moms.
You’ll empathize with them. You’ll pray for them. You’ll laugh with them. But you’ll neither exalt them as perfect moms (whom you kinda resent) nor deride them as pitiful moms (who make you feel a little awesome). When you’re experiencing grace, you’ll stop comparing.
You don’t want to be a mom without God’s grace. If your child’s a toddler, you need grace. And when your child’s a teenager, you’ll need more grace. It may actually get more challenging in ten years. But there will be plenty left of grace. “Grace to you!”
Let the gospel strengthen you with God’s grace for whatever motherhood throws at you today.
EXPLORE THE WHOLE BOOK!
A mother’s work is exceptionally important—and excruciatingly difficult much of the time. In Gospel Meditations for Mothers, moms will find encouragement from the authoritative and sufficient Word of God in their eternally important work and labor of love! This mini-book includes 31 daily readings, short Bible studies on all sorts of topics—from trials and fears to love and endurance. Written with moms in mind but broad in scope, these articles would benefit any Christian.
