Your Purpose Is Not in Your Perfectionნიმუში

Day 1: You Were Not Made to Be the “Perfect” Mom

A mother’s love is a force to be reckoned with! We want the best for our families, which often makes us believe we have to be the best. The world tells us our purpose in life is found in our perfection. We “should” be able to meet our children’s emotional, spiritual, and mental needs while making sure they win all the trophies and eat all of the organic veggies we have grown and prepared for them.

It sounds ridiculous, but just take a scroll through your social media or your own thought patterns. When I did (and when I looked at my failed garden in the backyard), I saw some defeating and unreachable standards. It’s crippling to believe you’re not achieving your purpose if you can’t get your toddler to stop having meltdowns in the grocery store or your teenager to stop rebelling. (Trust me- I have a toddler and a teenager!)

Mama, we are going to learn some good news from one of Jesus’ closest companions. Peter had a reputation for speaking too quickly, acting on emotion, and making huge mistakes. Can any other mama relate!?! But Peter did not go down in history as “the guy who didn’t measure up”. Jesus called him the rock on which He would build His church.

Jesus did not say that if Peter were better, then He would be happy. Jesus said His joy was made complete when He died on a cross to permanently erase Peter’s shortcomings - along with mine and yours. All of the purpose and greatness we see in Peter’s life have nothing to do with what Peter did or who Peter was. It is all about what Jesus did and who Jesus is. Peter’s life was set aside to have a great purpose that would ultimately change the world because, above all else, he wanted Jesus to be the Lord of his life.

Mama, your greatest purpose on this earth is not to be a great wife or the perfect mom. Your primary purpose is to know the love of Jesus and let Him be Lord of your life. All the other good stuff flows out of that. When Jesus is Lord in every area of your life, He tears down all other standards and becomes your perfecter. So take heart, moms, and let’s journey together to find unbreakable peace and eternal purpose in a loving relationship with Jesus, our Lord.

Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you for dying so that I could live - not only live, but live a full, purposeful life. Help me to recognize the standards I’ve held myself to that are not from you, and let go of them today. Help me to find my purpose in your love for me so that I can weather any season of life.