Years ago, I remember reading the book Sacred Marriage, by Gary Thomas. Thomas asked this provocative question: What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?
Think about that for a minute.
Marriage is beautiful and blesses us in so many ways. However, marriage also brings out the worst in us. It highlights our selfish, sinful nature. It brings our control issues to the surface.
I believe the same could be said about motherhood.
What if God designed motherhood to make us holy more than to make us happy?
It certainly brings out the best–and the worst–in us!
Today’s Third Thursday Blog Hop topic is “How Has Being A Mom Changed You?” The answer to that question for me is that motherhood has been a magnifying glass for my sin nature. It’s shown me the dark places in my heart where I need God’s light to shine more brightly. It’s uncovered the impatient, selfish nature that I try so hard to cover up. It’s opened my eyes to my own immaturity and places where God longs for me to grow up.
So how’s motherhood changed me?
It’s put me on the path to holiness…and boy do I still have a long way to go!
How has motherhood changed you? Share your comment here.
Remember this is a blog hop topic. Click on the links below (click here to see the links if you are reading this post in your email inbox) to see what other Hearts at Home moms have to say!
Piper’s book Momentary Marriage has the same idea in it. It really challenged me and I agree, the same is true for motherhood.
I can totally relate to this~ what is it about the ones we love who have the capactiy to bring out those things which most need to be gotten rid of?! Thankful for His ‘lens’ (however painful!) and that He wants us to become more like him… and the path He has us on!
Totally agree! My friend wrote a book about how God worked through her children. “Confessions of an Irritable Mother” by Karen Hossink. She has really helped me think about how “my sweet blessings” bring out the worst in me and how God can use them to bring me to Him.
I totally agree. I struggle with this everyday when I’m impatient yet again or handle something totally wrong and I’ve been a mom for almost 23 years now. I do need Jesus every day!!
My journey of motherhood has changed me, which is God’s way of refining who I am and who He desires me to be. If we are not changing and growing, then we are stagnant and not much use by Him.
Motherhood has made me a better caregiver to others. (I am a nurse and that is important.) Motherhood has taught me that I am only allowed to share the lives of my children, not own them. Motherhood has taught me that indeed I have become my mother… and I am at peace with that… I tell my children as they roll their eyes at me or laugh at my truly unique fashiion sense that I am their future! Motherhood breaks me and builds me – sometimes both within an hour’s time. Motherhood offers me a glimpse of the emotions my Heavenly Father feel for me bothin the good and rough times. On a more practical note, motherhood has taught me the rules to many sports, the location of the second-hand shops like Plato’s Closet, and that there are no sacred hiding spots for my bag of Twix… therefore I chose to eat Good-N-Plenty instead… they don’t like Good-N-Plenty so I don’t even have to hide it anymore. I love being a mom. The calouses on my knees from the amount of time I spend in prayer are so worth it!
Sadly, my husband claims being a mother has made me less fun and spontaneous (“I remember when you used to be fun,” he says.). The weight of having these little lives so wholly depend on me has made me more serious somehow. It’s brought out the responsible, practical, rule-following side of me and has quashed my free-spirited, easy going side. I really want to be the woman my husband fell in love with, so I’m continually trying to reach back and tap into my old fun-loving self for his sake.
Melanie,
I think that’s pretty common. It definitely happened to me, too! You can find the fun-loving side again!
Melanie,
Jill is right. It is common. I have heard the same things from my husband, and my son:( . Thankfully, my husband is starting to see that he has also been ‘changed’ and not exactly the same as when we were married. The last few weeks I’ve tried to think of some small things that I can do for my husband or son to ‘fun’ things up a bit, some one on one, some as a family. My husband has been working on an old car in our garage, so I have taken some time to just hang out there after my son goes to bed. It is amazing how that has encourage our relationship. We don’t have to talk much, just hang out in his territory. get interested in what interests him. Another is we started texting each other when he is on break at work, whether it is just asking how their day is going, or saying that I can’t wait to see him tonight. With my son, it’s taking the time to go on that quick bike ride, even if it is close to bed time, or stopping and playing legos with him, even if there are 5 loads of laundry waiting. For me, the hardest ‘home work’ is working on my relationships at home, not the actual house work. Ask God to refresh your memory or give you some ideas to spark up your relationships, even if it just starts with a 15 minute ‘desert date’ at home with your husband after your kids go to bed, even just once a week. Don’t get too down on yourself, just think of one small thing and go from there.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and checking out / commenting on my blog hop post. There was a slight glitch in the coding that kicked my sidebars to the bottom – which I just realized this evening (yikes!) but it’s all better now. [Always frightening when that happens. *grin*] Thanks for doing this hop – I’m excited to join in next month! Blessings!
Motherhood has turned the simple things into sacred things….. bugs on the sidewalk, dandelion wishes, the sound of children’s laughter-have become extraordinary gifts in the midst of my very ordinary days. I love how God shows Himself happy through children.
{Melinda} Wow! Where do I start? I think the main way that motherhood has changed me is that it has illuminated my character flaws. Children are little mirrors. They reflect our behavior and attitudes. My children make me want to be better, more godly. Motherhood is demanding, but I know God uses it everyday to seek His face and to mold me to be more like Him.
So great to meet you at She Speaks last month, Jill. My blogging partner, Kathy, really enjoyed being in your group. 🙂
Melinda, it was great to meet you too!