It's interesting how many conversations we moms have trying to "fix" what's broken. We're fixers, we moms.
We build our nests and bandage wounds and comfort hurting hearts. We fix.
But, how often does it seem our expectations are unmet when it comes to raising our kids? How often are our expectations for self unmet when we burden our own journey with weights we weren't meant to carry? Even if the big picture is shaping up,
on an hourly basis there are flops...even if just the unseen folly of sin-bound, human hearts.
Why?
"No one is righteous, no, not one."
Romans 3:10
Perfection is not the goal of child rearing...and it's not the goal of our adult Christian walk as followers of Jesus Christ either.
Perfection is not the goal.
Of course we want to raise loving, obedient children and we certainly ask God to sanctify us moms and dads with each passing day, but this striving toward an end here on earth that even resembles "perfection" simply is not the goal we're meant to strive for here.
In fact, it typically leads only to more sin...and even fuels sin in our children...creating a treadmill effect.
Most certainly, this is not what God intends.
Perfection is not the goal.
Bringing glory to God, loving Him, knowing Him, needing Him, clinging to Him, loving others with that which He showers on us, turning to Him in our weaknesses, encouraging others to turn to Him in their weakness too, accepting grace through faith and repentance and extending it likewise...these are the goals of the Christian.
And, if we should reach those noble goals through the catalyst of terribly imperfect days with drainingly imperfect children who we've embarrassingly imperfectly corrected with behavior deserving of tails between legs, then so be it!
Perfection is not the goal.
HE is.
Jesus Christ, the One we love and serve and await our union with someday in heaven for all eternity future...HE is the goal.
His forgiveness is the goal. His unconditional love for those who repent in our failures and turn our hearts to faith in Him,
HE is the goal. In fact, He died to that end. He sacrificed His own perfect, sinless life for our imperfection.
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit."
1 Peter 3:18
If we find faith in Christ through means of imperfect failures from our imperfect families who've ashamedly imperfectly lived,
then alright! So be our weaknesses if they lead us to the real goal, if they lead us to salvation, if they beckon our journey straight and hard toward the foot of the cross where we find life and life abundantly! That's where we should be...at the end of ourselves.
That's where HE begins.
"They reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!"
Psalm 107:27-31
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!"
Psalm 107:27-31
May we mommies find strength today as we strive after Christ and long to live like Him, raise children who resemble Him.
By His abounding, amazing GRACE may we dust ourselves off, scoop up children in need of hugs, give ourselves a break already and fall into the ready arms of the One we were created for. May we read the Word and realize that God loves us no matter what. He sent His Son to die for our imperfections. He longs for relationship with each one of us as we relinquish expectations and teach our children to do the same...to find the PEACE the gospel message brings.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."
Isaiah 53:5
God knows all of our inadequacies and even designed them skillfully to point our hearts toward Him. He's orchestrated masterfully our days and years to bring glory to Himself even through (and especially through) OUR imperfection which shines brightly of HIS sufficiency, not ours...HIS forgiveness when we get it wrong...HIS mercy for sinners like us.
This is the point of His story...this is the Good News!
"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 2:2
By God's grace may we moms exhhhhaaaale and accept our children and ourselves just the way we are, even as we yearn to improve. May we see our flops as opportunities to look to the gospel of grace. May we LOVE like Christ, FORGIVE like Christ, LIVE like Christ, teach our children and recognize for ourselves that we NEED Christ. Then, may we receive the gift offered to us at the cross, the one which dispels the façade we'll somehow arrive here on earth at perfection.
We will not. This is not the goal of our lives here.
Perfection is not the goal.
But, we long for the day when weeping will cease, pain will be no more, and all will be made right
as intended forever in the only place where perfection IS the final goal...Maranatha!
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there
be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4
