Today's guest blogger is Suzanne Holland. Suzanne is a
grateful follower of Jesus Christ, wife to John, and mom to two grown up boys.
She is also a student at Reigning Grace Counseling Center and hopes to become a
Certified Biblical Counselor, offering the hope of the Scriptures to those who
are hurting.
As we approach Mother’s Day this year, my heart is heavy
with the grief of many of my friends who are moms. One is an elderly mother
whose disabled son may soon be placed in a nursing home. Another has a young
adult son struggling with addiction and severe depression. Several, including
myself, are grieved with the unbelief and rebellion of their adult children.
One of my dearest friends continues to struggle with the grief of losing a
grandbaby nearly two years ago. I have friends who are single moms who fight
and strive daily to be godly in the face of abandonment by their children’s
fathers, financial need, and loneliness. Others are tied up in terrible court
battles, fighting for what they believe is best for their children at great
financial and emotional expense.
I shopped for
Mother’s Day cards for some of these friends yesterday, but I left empty
handed. Sparkly pink cards with flowers and trite sayings will not soothe the
aching hearts of any of these moms this year. So, what can I do to acknowledge
this day that may be so painful for them? How can I say, “Happy Mother’s Day”
to a mom who will not see or hear from her child this year, or who lives with
regret or sadness about her relationship with that son or daughter? The best
thing I can say is that there is hope. There is no prodigal child that cannot
be restored to his family. There is no broken relationship that cannot be
repaired. There is no loss or grief that will not be redeemed. How will I prove this to them? By showing them
where their hope is: In the sovereign God of the universe!
No one understands the pain you feel when you think of
your wayward child, better than our loving Father in heaven. God knows your
pain, my friend. He has been there, watching as your child grew, knowing every
struggle, every mistake you would make. Even if you think you did everything
wrong, you can rest assured that everything that happened was ordained by God,
for your good and His glory (Romans 8:28 & 29). Nothing that happened
surprised our God! No trial came to you that didn’t first go through Him. He is
watching still today, and His love for you will never fail (Psalm 13:5 is just
one example. The Psalms are full songs about God’s unfailing love). He has a
plan to bring good out of this.
Our God also understands your longing to fix a broken
relationship with your child. If you have a prodigal, who has rejected your
love and support and chosen to go his own way, rest assured that your Father in
heaven understands this. As your heart is grieved at the conditions your child
is living in, or anxious to know where and how she is, remember that God’s
children also turned from Him and went their own way. Jesus grieved over them
(Luke 13:34). He had promised to be their strong tower, their fortress, and
their deliverer, but they would not have Him. As we long to protect, love, and
guide our children, we must remember that our Father understands that longing.
He has a plan to bring comfort in this.
Perhaps the moms who suffer most on Mother’s Day are
those whose children have passed from this world. A broken relationship can be
fixed, and a prodigal may return, but children who have died are not coming
back. This is a pain that I can only imagine. How do I acknowledge this special
day with these childless mothers? What words will offer comfort? My own words
can fail, but the Words of Scripture are always true and comforting:
We can pray that the
Lord will be near to her:
This you have seen, O Lord;
Do not keep silence.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
Psalm 35:22
Together, my friend and I can remind God
of His promise to deliver us in our troubles:
Call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.
Psalm 50:15
Finally, we can make a simple
proclamation:
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
Psalm 56:3
Maybe you also have a
friend for whom no flowery pink card will do this Mother’s Day. Maybe you are
that mom who is struggling this year. Rest assured, our God is faithful. His
mercies are new every morning, including Mother’s Day. He has a plan to bring
you through this. Trust Him.
Labels: Guest Blogger-Holland