Today I would like to share a few thoughts that I pray
will be helpful and encouraging as you embark on this journey of motherhood
once again.
As you know, being a mom brings many cares and concerns. We care about making sure our babies are safe
and healthy and well-fed. We are
concerned about whether they are growing and developing properly – physically,
mentally, and emotionally. Most of all,
we are concerned about how they are doing spiritually, whether they are seeking
and loving God with all their hearts.
All of this can be very draining and stressful. It can tempt us to worry and fret and try to
keep things together in our own strength.
It can rob us of our peace. But Isaiah
promises that God will keep us in perfect peace if our minds are stayed on him.
(Isaiah 26:3)
To help you keep your mind on God, I have five words for you
to remember. They make up the word
PEACE. They are Prayer, Eternity, Alone,
Consistency, and Enjoy.
The first
is PRAYER. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
says, “Pray without ceasing.” With a little thought and practice, we can
use our various tasks throughout the day to prompt us to pray. For example, as you are feeding your baby,
you can pray that God will give her a hunger for God. You can pray, as 1 Peter 2:20 says, that she
will crave pure spiritual milk, that by it she may grow up into salvation.
Use the scriptures that you read or hear as a basis for your
prayers.
When you are tempted to worry and fret, remember Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but
in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all
understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The second word is ETERNITY. Keep in eternity in view. It is so easy to get caught up in the cares
and concerns of this life. It is easy to
let our minds focus on the here and now – especially when you are in the midst
of diapers and nighttime feedings; toddler tantrums and teenage worries. But while these things need our attention,
let us not lose sight of the long term… of eternity.
Many
things that we fret and worry about won’t matter much in 10, 20, or 50 years, much
less in eternity. As Paul says in
Colossians 3:1-4, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are
above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things
that are on the earth. For you have
died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then
you also will appear with him in glory.“
And
remember the encouragement that Paul gives us in Galatians 5:9, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in
due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
The third word is ALONE. Remember that you are NOT alone. You have a husband who loves you. This is his child too. Remember to ask him (sweetly) for help. Don’t try to do everything by yourself. Even
if he doesn’t do things the way you would do them, let him…no, ENCOURAGE him to be involved in the care of this
baby.
You
also have a capable daughter, who I’m sure will be eager to help with her baby sister.
It will be good for establishing a strong relationship between them as
sisters, and it will be good practice and training for a future day when God
may bless her with children of her own.
And you have a church family who is here ready and willing to help you
in any way that we can.
Above
all, remember that Jesus promised, “Behold
I am with you always, to the end of the age.” And “I
will never leave you nor forsake you.”
The fourth word is CONSISTENCY. This word can be applied in many different
areas. I encourage you to try to have a consistent
routine in your family and home life. I’ve
found that a strict schedule doesn’t always work and sometimes just increases
the stress. But a consistent routine
helps everyone (baby included) to know what to expect, and this provides a
sense of security and peace.
Make
sure your routine includes time for Bible reading and prayer – both for
yourself personally, and as a family.
And be consistent in your discipline.
Let your yes be yes and your no be no.
And strive to make sure that you and your husband are on the same page – so
that his “no” is also your “no” – and vice versa.
The last word is ENJOY. Take time to enjoy your baby, and your
family. This may mean setting aside your
to-do list in order to play or read for a few minutes when your daughters ask
you to. It may mean laughing at the mess
on the floor when you’d rather cry, scream, or lecture. It may mean choosing to be thankful when
you’d rather complain. As Paul says in
Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord
always, again I will say rejoice.”
So,
remember:
PRAY without ceasing
Keep ETERNITY in view.
Remember you are not ALONE.
Be CONSISTENT in routine and
discipline.
ENJOY every moment.
And
may “the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called
in one body.” (Colossians 3:15)
