“Are you afraid of losing yourself in motherhood?” she asks as I cry. I nod. “Who are you?” she asks.
Tears stream down my face as I search for an answer. I have no answer. The question rolls around in my head for days. Who am I? What is identity? I know what I do. I know my relationship to other people. I know my spiritual gifts. I know my personality. So who am I? Who does God say I am?
I am righteous through Christ, redeemed, secure, filled with the Holy Spirit, blameless in God’s sight and saved. I have access to the Fruits of the Spirit (patience, love, and kindness), boldness and power. I am a child of the Most High king. None of these things will be drowned by or lost in circumstance. My relationships, spiritual gifts and personality will not become lost in motherhood.
Quite the opposite – through being a mom I’ll grow closer to Christ, closer to my children, and will grow a rich inheritance of faith, hope and love for generations. Suddenly all the achievements, knowledge, experience and goals I’d hoped for doesn’t matter. This task – this inheritance that will last for generations and impact eternity – will last forever.
All of the sudden, the cleanliness of my bathroom doesn’t matter. Whether my kitchen floor gleams or not is inconsequential. The stains on my stove are unimportant. C’mon kids! Jump on the bed while I empty the clean-laundry basket on you. C’mon! Let’s mop the floor together.
Come work in my office with me! It’ll be messy, take way too long and may not get done properly, but we’re going to have great memories and build a strong foundation of love. I finally embrace what has eternal value!
Memory Verse:
“Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.”
-Psalm 119:18 (NLT)
Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, help me to value things according to Your priorities. Help me to know what has eternal value and then focus only on those things. Lord, my housework is not the reason for my existence. I was created for You. Help me to walk in the purpose for which You created me. You have a wonderful plan for me. Thank You for that. I pray You’d open my eyes to what’s eternal and help me to fix my eyes on You and Your mission for me, including…”
Contributing Writer:
Kimberly Dawn Rempel
Kimberly Dawn Rempel: Writer & Editor
What a wonderful example you are for your family. Some of my fondest memories are cleaning my childhood home with my mother. Give God glory in everything.