Over the past week I have spoken with three moms in three different stages of life.
One mom is parenting all adult children. We talked about life, and she told me that she is failing, failing at parenting her adult daughter. She struggles to find balance, wisdom, and grace.
Another mom is parenting a handful of children, and her oldest is just entering adulthood. She, too, feels like she is failing. She feels a bit uncertain as she enters this new phase and sees how much she needs the Lord’s grace.
A third mom is the mom of two, young children. Her children challenge her continually and provide ample opportunity for training. It exhausts and consumes her at times. She plods on with determination, even though it can be very discouraging.
All three of these women are women I respect and admire, women who have given and are giving their lives for their families’ sakes and have the vision of raising up godly children.
Truth be told, none of these women are failing.
Their emotions and circumstances with their children may try to tell them that they are failing, but I know they are not.
These women are trying hard, loving hard, praying hard, and serving hard. They are giving motherhood all they’ve got, yet they find themselves failing.
I, myself, can relate. Each day is full of struggles. Motherhood makes me feel so out of control at times. It is difficult, full of challenges and change, and unpredictable.
Motherhood isn’t like any other project. We can’t just put the item on our “To Do” lists and check it off when it is completed.
There is constant change, constant need, and constant imperfection.
These variables make us feel weak and discouraged.
They resonate to us that we are failures, but we are not failures!
Moms, if you are trying hard to raise and love your children, you are not a failure!
Don’t judge your life by the imperfections and weaknesses you run into on a daily basis.
Judge your life by:
- what you ARE trying to accomplish, not what fails
- what your vision is for your family, what you are striving towards
- what you HAVE DONE and ARE doing successfully
- the positive fruit you see in your children’s lives and in your own heart
When the voices of the lack of life shout at you, shout back at them and say, “I am not a failure!”
Do your best. Let God do the rest.
Focus on the good fruit. Let go of the failure.
Accept imperfection. Strive towards nobility.
Moms, you are not a failure!
