On Monday, I really blew it as a mom.
My kids were irritable and tired, and frankly, I was too. We had a big weekend, and Monday, we all felt the residual effects of our fun. The kids fought with each other, often raising their voices. Sass was handed out in all directions, and worst of all, I joined in.
I knew I was being terrible, but I could not get my act together. Blame on exhaustion or whatever, but there really is no good reason for acting like I did.
That night, as I was getting ready for bed, I processed the day. I prayed and asked God to forgive me for the way I had mothered.
Confession seems scary, even when we confess to our God who already knows everything, but it is really freeing. Even confessing my mess up here, on my blog, lifts a weight from my heart.
I’m not suggesting we all air our mistakes on the internet or on social media, but we definitely need to confess them to God. I’ve learned that this act is not for God’s sake. Like I said above, he already knows what we did wrong. The act of confession is for us.
When we confess, we prevent our sin from becoming a barrier between us and God. If we let our sins pile up without bringing them to God, our relationship and communication with God is hindered.
It is similar to our earthly relationships. If we treat our spouse or our kids poorly and never apologize or admit fault, our relationships will suffer. Intimacy will suffer.
And I don’t know about you, but without God’s strength and patience flowing into me, I know I can’t be a great mom. I know I need him every day. The apostle Paul felt the same way, even though he was not a parent.
“God said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 2:9-10, NLT
I’m also not saying we should boast about our weaknesses as mothers. That would be silly. That’s really not the point here. The point Paul makes here is that we should readily, eagerly bring our weaknesses and mistakes to God. And why? So the power of Christ can work through us.
The act of confessing our weaknesses opens a door of strength. God is not pushy, and even though he sees us struggling and making mistakes, he does not just take over as if we’re robots. He wants us to reach out to him in dependence, and then the flow of his strength and power comes alongside us and helps us.
So Monday night, after my day of many mistakes, I prayed. I confessed my failings and asked for God’s strength to do better the next day.
The key to continued strength and power for motherhood is to stay connected to the Source of strength and power.
Sin blocks the door. Praying unlocks it. Reading the Bible opens it wide, and worshipping God ushers in the joy and power.
“For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
