Motherhood is Sanctifying

There are plenty of memes that will jokingly point out the truth of seeing our sins because we are raising children. They might not say it in those words, but that’s the truth of it. 

Once we become a parent, our sins have spotlights on them.

Paul writes to the Romans about sins and fruit. But the works of the flesh are shown easily as a mother. 

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Romans 5:19-21, English Standard Version) 

We would never want to admit that we have idols, but the second our children start interrupting our lives and plans, we get a little bitter at the inconvenience because we’ve made ourselves an idol and feel that our lives are of such importance that we have those fits of anger. It’s easy to see how lives will change after you add additional people into your home and life, but no one seems to talk about the reality — over and over we have to die to self and serve the kingdom and our family.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Romans 5:22-24, ESV) 

As Christians, we have the Spirit dwelling in us, which should produce the fruit of the Spirit. This process of sanctification is ongoing and we have to continually give the Spirit room to move in our lives.

Personally, there’s nothing like hearing your kids fuss at each other and realizing that their behavior is something they learned from you. That their behavior is because of the sin they’ve witnessed from their mother. This display from my children is what continuously drives me to try to reflect Christ more so that they can see what God has done in my life. 

This is how God can use our motherhood. 

This isn’t something that is easy, the breaking down of selfish behaviors and the molding into a woman who is reflecting Christ. But we’re not promised that life will be easy. Jesus suffered and died to make us whole, the least we can do is lean into the process of being made sanctified so that we can one day be glorified with Christ in heaven.