abiding love
“God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4: 8b-11 ESV
“I just want them to know I love them.” These words echoed in my own heart as I heard them fall from the lips of a young momma who had confessed she was struggling with her babies while her husband was serving overseas. Her anguish brought back a flood of memories from when I was living a life covered with diapers, toys, chaos, time-outs on the bottom step, snuggles in rocking chairs at bedtime, and not enough of me to go around. I 
remember being stretched so thin and thinking I would never find myself again, but that was just it, I remembered it. I don’t live in that season of life anymore as I now have a house full of pre-teens and teenagers. Life is different and so much easier in so many ways, but I do still remember. Those early days are hard and they feel endless, especially when you’re on your own. I also remember during that season that my faith grew by leaps and bounds, sometimes even when I didn’t realize it was happening, because I was abiding in the Lord.
1 John 4:16 says, “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” In the hectic season of young motherhood, I made sure I was signed up every semester for Bible study. I was a young believer and I so wanted to study God’s Word and did I mention they had
FREE child care? I could drop off my babies and have grown up conversations about high and holy things, and ordinary things, and all the while mykids were safe and entertained. I would wake up early or stay up late and do my Bible study lessons, often cramming in a few days of study the night and morning before we would meet, but God honored even those hurried moments as He was teaching me to abide in Him.
In the busyness of life…abide in Him.
In the mundaneness of life…abide in Him.
When you don’t feel like enough…abide in Him.
When you celebrate milestones…abide in Him.
When you are afraid…abide in Him.
When we abide in Him we can know we have access to live a life that loves well because He is love. Our love pours out from His well of love that never runs dry. When we as mothers love our children through the leading of the Holy Spirit we reflect the love of God both to them and those around us. Our lives point to Him in ways that speak louder than words. When we love well, we show our children a glimpse of just how very much Jesus loves them. It is a big responsibility to show that kind of love to the next generation, but that’s the call of motherhood. Discipling the ones who have been entrusted to our care in those early years is a huge part of motherhood. Their hearts are our mission field, and we have a unique opportunity to plant seeds that the Lord will grow and mature over their entire lifetimes.
My prayer for all of us on this road, no matter how far or not-so-far along you may be, is that we would remember to take each step forward abiding in Him. Day by day and moment by moment that we would lean not on our own strength but rather that we would lean into Jesus so He can lead, guide and sustain us through each season of motherhood in which we find ourselves. May our hearts be so close to Him that our children cannot help but see Him and His love for them when they look at us.
It is a high and holy gift to shepherd these hearts for as many days as the Lord gives us. May we do so abiding in the love of the Lord.
How are you abiding in the Lord during your season of Motherhood?
Tracie Durham is a Body & Soul® Instructor in Central Arkansas. She is a home school momma to three amazing kiddos and wife to a fire chief. Tracie loves to think deeply about the things of Jesus and write and reflect on His Word. Her hope is that this post blesses you and brings honor and glory to God.
