Motherhood: When Releasing Our Children to God's Plan Hurts

 

I  remember being sad when I weaned each one of my children from the breast and equally sad when I watched a son walk onto his college campus twenty years later. God has shown me time and again over the past twenty two years that one of the hardest aspects of being a mommy is willingly releasing our children to God's plan for their lives. We carry our babies within us, then we release them to breathe air. We nurse them to sustain them and then we release them to feed themselves. We potty train them so that they can take care of themselves. We teach them to read and write, so that one day they will no longer need our instruction. We teach them to drive, so they can drive away from us. We love them, so they can leave us and love their own families.

I've released two young men into the world now. They are college age - still living at home (and I'm grateful), but they face grown up problems in which I am powerless to help them. I've taught them well, but it's hard to watch...because my mommy heart wants to continue to protect, provide, and nurture, yet that is not God's plan. So I release them, choose joy, and purposely draw near to God. Mommyhood brings many blessings, but it also brings a million broken heart moments, and it is all a part of God's plan.

Moms, be encouraged. We cannot protect, nurture and provide for our children better than God. But we can trust Him to work all things together for good for those that love Him, and who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

God knows the pain of parenthood. He watched His Son grow up into a God-man. He endured injustice as His Son was accused and abused. He was intimately acquainted with the suffering of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and as He hung on the cross. God restrained Himself from roaring down from Heaven as Jesus died on the cross for the sins of man. Father-God was painfully separated from His Son as Jesus bore the darkness of the world. Then the good news - God raised Him to walk again in perfect triumph over sin! Every ounce of Jesus' suffering was part of God's perfect plan of redemption.

So, when our children are being weaned, and desperately want mommy's breast? We can say to our own hurting hearts, “No, God has a better plan.” When our children suffer under the weight of long division and beg us to invoke the mighty power of mom to skip a lesson, we can say in our hearts, “No, they must struggle through.” And as we watch them drive away to college, we can say, “This is God's plan. It hurts, Lord...but I release my child to You.” As each heart string is severed we hurt, but it is in these moments that we are most like Christ, as we lay our hurting hearts down for the good of our children.

[caption id="attachment_1661" align="aligncenter" width="290"] My two oldest drive motorcycles. Yes, I pray. A lot.[/caption]

 

So, as we release our children into His care, what are we supposed to do with our hurting hearts?

Receive His comfort

“Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” ~John 16:21-22

Receive His Strength

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” ~Philippians 4:13

Receive His Peace

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:6-7

Grateful for Grace,