EquippedMama

You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 New English Translation (NET) NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

On a Saturday morning, it is not too difficult for me to reflect on God’s grace. That’s because on Saturday mornings my sweet husband takes the children and allows me to have time in the Word while he makes breakfast. I need not listen feverishly for the first squawk protesting a delinquent nursing or a little voice initiating a frenzied hurry to the training potty. On these mornings, I enjoy the luxury of a passage read leisurely, a coffee drank warm, and a thought completed. On these days I have the chance to praise the Lord for his mercies that he, through Jesus, “because of his great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ.” (Ephesians 2:4b-5).

These truths are well-worth intentional contemplation… but more often than not my weekday quiet times get interrupted by frequent and urgent requests for my attention.

What does recognizing the Grace of God look like in the world of mothering? Where does communing with Christ find its place in the non-stop demands of crying children, poopy diapers, temper tantrums, and constant entertaining?

Prioritize Receiving God’s Grace Daily. Very practically speaking, you must make the time to receive God’s grace. This is not to say that you cannot experience God’s grace apart from spending time in the Word and prayer, but it is a fantastic way to align your thoughts with the Lord. Depending on the day, you can’t realistically expect to always have a 30 minute quiet time followed by worship and prayer. However, you should prioritize daily having some time in the Word and in prayer. It might look different in different seasons, but if you expect to live out the grace of God to your family and in your other relationships you must take the time to dwell in the presence of God. For many, this requires they set their alarms earlier so they can have a few moments alone with the Lord before the little ones wake up. It’s a discipline, but it is worth it.

Perhaps you work nights or have a refluxy newborn that won’t let you rest longer than thirty minutes in a row. Be flexible, and learn to find a way to make it in the Word when it fits your schedule. Maybe you can use nursing time for your devotional (if you choose this option, consider reading Redeeming Mama to get you started! Link below:) Perhaps you can swap an audio Bible for your favorite pump-up songs during your lunchtime workout. Maybe you only get little “snack time” bites of a quiet time during the week- if so take time to feast over the weekend! This is an absolutely necessary component implementing God’s grace into your everyday life.

Practice Speaking Gracefully Constantly. This one is a toughie. Our passage from Ephesians encourages us that our words should be life-giving and completely devoid of unrighteous anger. This Grace-filled speaking is a real challenge to mothers especially because our children must be the beneficiaries of our graceful tongue. This means discipline without a raised voice. This means we don’t complain about or to our children. This means we are kind and controlled when we talk to them- regardless the time or how happy we actually are to see them. Understanding the Grace of God means that our speech should reflect the kindness we have been shown by an infinitely merciful God.

When recounting the events of a trying day to your spouse, do so in grace. Perhaps this means not rehashing the many times your toddler pulled the baby’s hair or how little personal time you got. Perhaps this means ministering grace to your spouse by not spewing how much your children frustrate you. Absolutely take time to confer with them on discipline strategies, concerns and struggles, but do so at a time when you are not at your whit’s end. Kindly. Compassionately.

Ministering Grace through your words also means you do not rehash your children’s faults- either to them or to your friends. If God has forgiven you your sins, why do you need (after dealing with the issue) to remind your child of their failures? Why do you need to complain to a friend that your child is “a little monster” or that they are “always whining?” These tirades are enormously damaging to the psyche of a little one and waste your opportunity to model the love of Christ in a tangible way.

Practice Meeting Interruptions Gracefully.

Interruptions seem to be an essential component to mothering. You lay down after a long day and instantly your little one wakes up. You sit down to feed one child and instantly the other needs to use the toilet right then. Understanding the Grace of God means that you constantly take the interruptions in your life as an opportunity to emulate (in a very small way) the Grace of God. That means you meet each skinned knee, each broken toy, each blowup or blowout with the realization that you are representing Jesus Christ to your little one. Kindly. Gently. Without eye rolls or “how could yous?” In grace. Do so in grace, Mamas.

In the strength God is faithful to provide, seek to receive Grace. Then speak and live it out to the hearts that dwell in your own home. This is the power of the Gospel lived out in your heart and life.