The Patient Woman - Part II: Motherhood
Motherhood is the ultimate test of patience, and it’s perhaps one of the hardest (and most rewarding) roles you’ll ever have in life. There are joys, and pains, and challenges and rewards on a daily (dare I say, moment-by-moment) basis! Through it all, patience is the glue that keeps mothers sane. Kids are unpredictable – but so is life, so sometimes we just have to embrace the moment for what it is – even if it means laughing at the situation as you’re going through it (or soon thereafter).
In this second of our series, The Patience Woman, we want to share some thoughts about patience with respect to teaching our children the virtue of patience, and being a Christian mother even in the most difficult parenting moments.
We Must Be Patient With Our Children
God’s expectations and guidance towards being patient with our children are clear:
Proverbs 14:29
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
God is always there for you. He understands your frustrations, even in those extremely tough mommy moments. When you begin to feel your patience being tested, before anything else, go straight to God. He will help to keep you calm in the midst of a teething meltdown or random temper tantrum. He will give you the ability to be understanding when your baby wakes up for the third time in the middle of the night. He will provide you with patience when your child repeatedly thrusts his spoon to the floor after countless corrections. He will send you a reminder that motherhood is a blessing – despite what you may be experiencing in your current circumstance!
We Must Teach Our Children Patience
Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
God teaches us in His word how we must embrace this important virtue of patience – and how we must teach and develop patience in our children. What’s important to remember is that patience can be taught to any child, as long as it is age appropriate. For example, patience is taught through actions (such as sitting and waiting quietly). Patience can be taught through words (such as talking to your children about sometimes having to wait their turn in line, or having them count to five, for example, to reset a stressful situation). Finally, children learn patience through observation – for example, by watching how their mothers interact with them and others in her life. This can feel like an enormous amount of pressure, but never fear!
We Must Pray For Patience With Every Situation
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
As our children grow and evolve, so do the lessons they teach us. With each milestone comes new challenges that we, as mothers, must learn to endure. We must stay humble and allow God to show us, teach us, and continue to mold us into better Christians through the trials of motherhood.
Let’s face it - motherhood is hard! We make decisions. We second guess ourselves. And we’re bound to at some point make mistakes. But remember that every day is a new day! On your journey to becoming more patient, you must understand that it is not beneficial to carry the regrets or stresses of yesterday into today. Starting each day with a fresh attitude and being diligent not to hold on to the past will increase your patience.
Please read Part III of our series on patience for encouragement for women as they embark on different stages of motherhood.
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