Mother’s Day brings a flood of emotions. Gratitude if you are and have a good mom. Loss, loneliness, and grief if you are missing a mother or child. Guilt if you don’t feel like you are a great mom. And a battle of resentment and frustration if you aren’t a mom, or if you didn’t have a good mom.
Many children and women will struggle with feeling “forgotten” during this season. It can become a season of self-focus, self-pity, and weeping. Instead of being grateful for what we do have, this season is a grouping of days where women, even the most God-seeking ones, will let their minds dwell on what they don’t have. Single women, childless women, women who have had abortions, women whose children have preceded them to the grave, women with ungrateful children, women with estranged children, women without a husband to encourage their children to rise up and call them blessed, women who feel as if they have failed at motherhood…
Dear friend, if you find yourself in any of these scenarios above, I am praying for you. You are not forgotten, even if your circumstances seem to indicate otherwise. God sees. God hears. God knows your heart. He stands ready to redeem and to fill and use every emotion associated with this season. Will you turn your eyes onto Him?
1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks
from the creek;
I want to drink God,
deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
I wonder, “Will I ever make it—
arrive and drink in God’s presence?”
I’m on a diet of tears—
tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long
people knock at my door,
Pestering,
“Where is this God of yours?”
4 These are the things I go over and over,
emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,
right out in front,
Leading them all,
eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—
celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!
5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
everything I know of you,…
Then Godpromises to love me all day,
sing songs all through the night!
My life is God’s prayer.
9-10 Sometimes I ask God, my rock solid God,
“Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears,
harassed by enemies?”
They’re out for the kill, these
tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day,
“Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
Psalm 42, The Message
Amen, sister. A good word for a day like this. Or any day. : )