I want to say this to you mama’s underwater. I remember the in your bones exhaustion, the rocking in the middle of the night, the baby at my chest, suckling while I curled my toes in agony. I could hear the voices in my head say, “if you’re doing it right , it shouldn’t hurt.” But that wasn’t my experience.
I think we’re tempted to hear that now too, if you love God enough, if you play your cards right , if you act kind enough or work harder, it won’t hurt. If you change your attitude enough , parenting will be super enjoyable. But Motherhood does hurt. Marriage hurts. Teenagers have endless word daggers. And regardless of any life stage, Walking in faith, not sight, costs something. Pulling away from approval of others is painful. Really living your life in your gifts costs much. Saying the right thing sometimes hurts, and saying the kind thing instead of the “right” thing sometimes painfully asks you to die to yourself right there in front of everyone.
Our lives are not made to avoid suffering, they are suffering. We are dying. “What a downer today, we wanted a pep talk.” You don’t need that, you need an adjustment. How quickly are you here on this earth. Your life is a breath. Remember, though, you are crowned in Glory as a son and daughter of God. Because you are his, the good news we can think on is that none of our lives rest on us being an amazing mom or politicians doing the right thing or any human. He says, “take heart for I HAVE overcome the world”.
So while we often live like this is our destination, It is not. It is for damn sure, NOT (hashtag thankful). We can do the hard things not because one day “I will enjoy this” or one day it will get better, but because we Love our God. There is joy in removing yourself from the equation. Anyway, sometimes I look up and the world feels too heavy and dark … and I tire myself out in chasing “happiness” or in sitting in worry— but remember what the great theologian Drake says: “just hold on we’re going home.” 🎶
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