Mom Heart Moments #343

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant —not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

THE DARK SHADOWS PLAYED UPON the window of my bedroom as the sun set over the mountains. The darkness seemed to match my mood. I remember this day clearly because I felt trapped and wondered if I would truly make it through the rest of the years of my children being at home. One more move, teens in the house, a sweet little girl who wanted someone to play Beanie Babies with her, and a hormonal middle-aged mama who was worn to the bone —it was bound to end in catastrophe.

There were many such days through the journey of motherhood when I felt fingers pointing at my heart, accusing me of the inadequacies and failures in my life. How about you? Do you feel guilty for yelling and becoming angry at your children too often? Are you regularly immature? In marriage, do you become easily frustrated, fighting with the spouse you know you should love?

Do you ever wonder if you can change? If you have been such a failure, do you worry that it will be impossible to redeem your situation or child or marriage? Does sadness fill your soul because you have a prodigal or rebellious, angry child and you think it is all your fault?

DON’T STAY THERE! MOVE ON!

There was some point in which I knew I could not live in a constant state of guilt or self-condemnation. The more I read Scripture, the more I understood that Jesus did not intend for me to live in that place because it is a place of destruction.

A mama who lives in a state of condemnation, guilt, and inadequacy is negative, depressed, and harsh so often that it also becomes a drag on her children. Today, determine to let guilt go.