Happy Mother’s Day: 6 things to do when your Mother’s Day is not ‘happy’
For many women Mother’s Day is a time of joy and celebration, but for some, Mother’s Day can be painful. Perhaps your mother was not loving or kind. Maybe like my friend, your mother disowned you and the two of you do not talk anymore. For others, Mother’s Day is a reminder that your mother is no longer here and you still have a deep longing for just one more phone call or lunch with her. I know my own mother struggled with Mother’s Day because my brother (only 2.5 yrs. old) died just a few days before and that memory every year made Mother’s Day hard. To my many friends who have had miscarriages, struggled with infertility, or simply have not married yet and are wondering if you will ever be a mom, Mother’s Day can be challenging. Lastly, Mother’s Day may be a day of unfulfilled expectations as some mothers expect that somehow their family is going to fulfill something deep within our hearts that only Jesus can truly fulfill. Maybe your family did not do something in the way in which you expected.
If Mother’s Day is challenging for you, here are several things you can do:
Serve: Focus on serving someone else. Write a card, deliver flowers, cook a meal for a single mom with young kids, or someone that is going through a rough situation. Whenever we take our pain and use it to help others we are blessed. “In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 AMP
Write: Write a journal entry about the things that you learned from your mother and how they are living-on in your life, so future generations can know your mother’s legacy and how she impacted you.
Pray: Spend time in prayer asking the Lord to search your heart and help you to have gratitude for all that He is in your life. “For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you.” Mark 11:24 AMP
Share the Gospel: If you have never had children or are finding that pursuit to be unfruitful at the moment, praise God that you are able to bring forth life in other ways by sharing the gospel and knowing that you can be sharing the truth which ultimately brings forth everlasting life to others! “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 AMP
Praise God: When we worship God for all He has done and IS doing for us everyday we will find that through our praise we find joy. [ Come to Me ] At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [I openly and joyfully acknowledge Your great wisdom], that You have hidden these things [these spiritual truths] from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants [to new believers, to those seeking God’s will and purpose]. Matthew 11:25 AMP
Show Gratitude: Thank God for your children and find ways to show your children what you are thankful for about each one of them. I’m writing each of my children a short letter letting them know the positive character traits that I see and appreciate in each of themand that I’m thankful to be their mom. Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God]. Ephesians 5:4 AMP
This year I’m choosing to celebrate motherhood differently. I want to be intentional and be grateful for all the work it entails and that I am capable of doing it. To my friends that are hurting on Mother’s Day, you are in my prayers and I’m praying that God meets your every need in a way that only He can.
With Love,
Jamie Shaver