It never fails. In the days leading up to Mother’s Day, I am at a complete loss over which card to buy for my mom. The jokey ones seem way too casual. The sentimental ones are too mushy and feel a little, well, dishonest. There aren’t many cards that capture the complicated, up-and-down relationship my mom and I experience.
How would you describe your relationship with your mom? Some of us have an easy, light-hearted friendship with our mothers. Others feel only pain when we think of our moms – maybe we grew up without a mother, or the mother we had couldn’t care for us properly. For most it’s somewhere in the middle: there’s good and bad, tension and fun, irritation and affection.
God cares about your relationship with your mom. When the legal experts asked Jesus for the most important commandments, one of them was “Love your neighbour as yourself” – and that includes your mother. Sometimes it’s easier to love the family across the street. This is why Paul’s prayer for the Philippians is so bang-on: “This is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well.” (Phillipians 1:9, The Message)
It can be a challenge to figure out the best ways to love the people in our lives. The Holy Spirit is more than willing to help us grow in how we love the people closest to us. Last week, I asked God to help me take a positive step with my own mom.
My mom had said something very hurtful to me. My initial reaction was to get mad and think, “Well, if she’s going to keep saying stuff like that, I just won’t call her anymore.” After praying, I knew I needed a different approach. The next time my mom phoned, I gently shared how hurt I’d been by her comment. This was a first for me! I explained that those kinds of comments – part of a long pattern in our relationship – affect our closeness. It was scary to be that up-front, but it led to a time of apology, forgiveness, understanding, and healing. I didn’t just love my Mom that day; with God’s guidance, I loved her well.
How can you love your mom well this Mother’s Day? To complete this challenge, do these two steps:
1) Process your relationship with your mom. Pray and think through how your relationship with your mom is doing. Is it warm and close? Distant? Tense? Volatile? Supportive?
2) Take one positive step in your relationship with your mom. If your relationship is already great, choose a simple way to honour her. If it’s a little on the rocky side, do something with the potential for growth or healing.
Next Steps
There is always something to appreciate about our moms, here is a good reminder