When You Need to Run to Jesus

Motherhood is a rewarding yet exhausting adventure. It’s filled with chaos and laughter, tears and joy. There are days when I feel as if I’m doing everything correctly – cooking healthy dinners, reading Bible stories to my children, remaining calm in the face of tantrums. 

And then there are the days when I hear the lies of the enemy: 

You are a terrible mother.

Your kids would be better off with someone else as their mom.

Why can’t you be a better ___________!?(You fill in the blank)

Being a mom is sobering, to say the least. When I think about training my children to be productive adults who love Jesus and want to serve others, I can get overwhelmed. I wonder if I’m doing everything I need to do. 

Our youngest child constantly wants to dress like me and wear her hair like mine and put on lipstick like I do. She talks with attitude like I talk and uses her hands to express herself. Just like I do. She is an expert eye-roller, you guessed it, just like I am. 

When I see her imitating me, I am immediately convicted of my sinful actions and poor attitudes. As I correct and discipline her, I feel as if the Lord is gently correcting and disciplining me. It’s a humbling way to parent.

Even though this child can be a challenge, every morning, at 6:00 am sharp, she opens her bedroom door and runs with excitement towards me, yelling, “Mommy! I love you!”

It’s one of the sweetest moments of my day. I love that I’m the first thing she thinks of when she awakes, and seeing her run toward me with open arms every single morning fills my heart with joy.

Yesterday, as I was reflecting on her actions, I began to contemplate who or what I run to each morning. Do I run to my Heavenly Father with open arms and excitement when I wake up? The honest answer is, “Not always.” 

I do love to study God’s Word and spend time with Him. Each morning, I grab a cup of coffee and settle in at the kitchen table with my Bible and a journal. I read His Word and spend time with Him in prayer. But I’m not always excited to be there. Sometimes my mind wanders to the things I need to accomplish for the day. Many mornings I’m so tired that all I really want to do is crawl back into bed.

As I reflected on my youngest child’s actions, I also began wandering who or what I want to look like. As she strives to look like me, am I attempting to look like the world, concerned with the latest styles and the most expensive brands? Or am I striving to look like Jesus?

I began to comb the scriptures, looking for God’s truths. I desire to run to Jesus, to look like Him, but how do I accomplish these things with consistency?

1 John 2:6 (NIV) tells us this: “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”And in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul states, “Be imitators in me, just as I also am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NAS)

That’s a bold statement! But as moms, we mustfollow in the footsteps of Christ so that our little ones will see Jesus in our actions. 

Friend, today I want to encourage you to seek Jesus with your whole heart. Mothering is challenging but Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) reminds us that “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

The Lord knew our children’s temperaments and needs before they were even born. And he knew our capacities as mothers. He has prepared us in advance to love these children and lead them to love Jesus.

Don’t give up, sweet friend. Keep running to Jesus and He will give you the strength and wisdom you need to mother well.