For the Wives and Mamas

 I am hesitant to chat with you about this. I want to make sure that I’m sharing a variety of my life. I don’t want this space to be ONLY about “Mom Life” and Marital Bliss. 

That being said, this is what I want to write about today.

I want to give encouragement and exhortation to those of us with the high calling of being a wife and mother.

Both these roles are so vital and yet so hard to do well in. 

I believe God intended it to be that way. 

But first let’s talk about how vital they are. Wives, we were created to be helpers to our husbands, supporting them, loving them, respecting and honoring them. We are to be their companion through all of life, their lover no matter how age or feelings change us, and their most trusted confidante. 

Mothers, we were created to be instructors of our children, and keepers of our homes. It is our jobs (in partnership with our husbands) to raise up our children as godly warriors equipped for battle. We are to instruct our children daily in what is good and right, teaching them from the very Word of God. 

 Seems simple enough on paper right?

But in the day to day life, we fail at these tasks repeatedly. 

Why? 

Because God is sanctifying us. God is making us pure, holy.

My dear friends, if you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died as a punishment for your sins and rose again and have confessed it with our mouth, then positionally (in Christ), you are holy and pure. Not because of what you have done, but because Christ has taken your sins, your blemishes, your failure, on Himself and He has given you His righteousness. 

Because of this we try to shed our filth and walk as new creatures in newness of life. And the Spirit that dwells within us begins to sanctify us, to purify us.

What better way to learn Biblical love (choosing to be committed), than when the very person you’re supposed to be closest too (your husband) finds his phone more interesting than you? What better way to learn joy than when you are woken up a dozen times throughout the by your toddler for no apparent reason, and then the next morning throws their entire bowl of oat meal on the floor? What better way to learn peace than when you’re driving in the car and everyone in the back seat is crying because it’s past lunch time and is nap time and they’ve had neither? What better way to learn patience than when you’re asked for the umpteenth “why?” What better way to learn kindness than when you make your husbands favorite dinner after a hard day for him?

You get the idea here. God is putting us in situations where we have a choice. We can choose to respond well or poorly. By killing the flesh or indulging it. By choosing the wellbeing of others or our own desires.

This is no easy thing. 

It is only through prayer and diligent discipline that we learn to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, doers of good, faithful, gentle, and self controlled. 

My friend, strive for it! Long for it. Long to be conformed to the image of Christ!

There is no greater testimony to you husband or children than you life lived in obedient submission to the Word of God and to God’s will in your life. And let me give you a hint as to God’s will in your life. If you are married, it is God’s will that you are married to your spouse and you are to treat them accordingly. If you have children, it is God’s will for you to raise your specific children by the instruction of His Word into godly and discerning men and women. 

What happens when you fail? Because there are so many occasions that we do fail. It is so easy for us to lash out at our children, to scorn our husbands and the way they do or don’t lead, and to insist on having our way. 

When you fail, you ask for forgiveness from the family member you wronged and from God. 

There is nothing more powerful than humbly asking forgivingness of a wrongdoing. This is especially important for our children. They must see that mama and daddy are sinners in need of Christ’s blood on their behalf. Your husband already sees and knows that, but your children must see this in you as well.

Be encouraged, I am writing this because I have been reminded of all these things just today.  Today I have struggled being kind and patient and seeking the good of others over the way I want things to go. Today I have not been self controlled in the words that I have spoken to my husband and children. Today I have been quick to anger and slow to forgive. Today I have forgotten the very job God has given me to do. Today I have asked for forgiveness and received it.

Strive with me to become more like our Savior who selflessly died for us and rose again that we are free from the bondage of sin.