The other day, I was telling a friend how I wish I hadn't been working while my little boy was a baby. I feel I missed out - even though I was working at home with him at my side - and that I didn't give him as much as I could have otherwise. She smiled and said, "You'll always find a reason to feel Mom Guilt."
So true!
What is it about being a mother that makes women feel they are never good enough? Have moms always felt this way? Or is it something about our current culture? I'm not sure, but I do know God doesn't want us to live in a perpetual state of guilt.
In fact, I will go so far as to say Mom Guilt comes from the Accuser - the one who loves to whispers lies in your ear.
It's true there are mothers out there who neglect or abuse their children. They should feel guilt. They should repent. But the average Christian mom? She just needs to accept God's mercy - and remember that in not doing so, she's offending her Lord.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Thanks Kristina! I have been having a down couple of days. You know when the little one is throwing tantrums over EVERYTHING and you just feel like you want to check out for a little while. I had a mommy time outing last night, it was short, and I went to the grocery store, but still it was nice. I feel so guilty for having down days and not giving my full attention to the kiddos. But just giving a little time to my self and to do things I want to do really gives me a pick me up.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Tracy. I also think it's good for little ones to begin realizing the world doesn't revolve around them and mommy is not their slave :)
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