Mother’s Day has always been a joy to me, but not so much lately. Don’t get me wrong, I still love celebrating my mom and making sure she knows how special she is. But Mother’s Day has grown a little complicated over time as I’ve considered my own motherhood journey. I currently have no children, yet deeply desire to be a mom. At the age of 31, it’s become harder watching people around me become mothers or expand their families. It’s difficult not to compare myself with friends who are about to have their second or third child while I haven’t even had one yet. Add in an endometriosis diagnosis and being 4 years shy of geriatric pregnancy, and you have a recipe for discouragement.
Mother’s Day might come with its own discouragements for you. Maybe like me, you long to be a mom but that desire hasn’t been met yet. Perhaps you’ve experienced the deep pain of miscarriage or losing a baby, or have a strained relationship with your child. Or, Mother’s Day might be hard for you because of the relationship you have with your own mother. You might be in conflict with your mom—you might not even be on speaking terms. Maybe you feel waves of grief on this day because your mom is no longer living.
There are many reasons why Mother’s Day might bring pain. And while it’s good to give yourself the space to admit your discouragement and grieve over your circumstances, there is still hope to cling to amidst the brokenness—God is with you, He loves you, and He promises to restore the brokenness you experience through Christ.
God Draws Near
It’s easy to feel alone in your pain, especially when it seems like everyone else around you is thriving. When scrolling on social media on Mother’s Day, you’re met with smiling pictures of people with their moms or mothers holding their little ones. Even receiving messages of sympathy from others can feel comforting, but it still hurts knowing that they likely don’t understand your circumstances. But even though you might feel utterly alone, God is with you. God draws near to you in your pain and longing. He sees your tears. He hears your cries. And He is with you in every circumstance associated with this holiday. He is with you when the pregnancy test reads negative. He is with you as you hold the photo of your mom who is no longer with you. He is with you when your text to your child remains unread. He is with you as you cradle the blanket of the child you lost. While God’s presence with us does not erase the pain, His nearness with us assures us that He will not leave our side in our situations of sorrow.
God Loves Us
The pain and longing we can experience on Mother’s Day might convince us that God isn’t good. After all, why would He not give us the good gift of a child? Why would He allow our loss? Why won’t He fix the brokenness we have with our mother? While we won’t receive answers on this side of eternity for our suffering, we do know that God loves us no matter what we’re experiencing. Scripture boasts of His love for us, especially when it comes to God’s love for us through Christ (1 John 4:9–10). God loves us so much that He was willing to give us His own Son to save us. And it’s precisely because God has given us Christ that we are able to experience a relationship with God. It’s because of Christ that we have the promise of God’s presence and the assurance of God’s love. So as you mourn the love you wish you could have from your mother, remember God’s love for you. As you ache for your child to return your love, rest in God’s love for you. And if there is any shame you feel on this Mother’s Day, remind yourself of God’s love as well. If this day brings up memories or experiences you wish you could forget, sink deep in the truth that God has poured out His grace upon you in Christ, and He loves you endlessly.
Brokenness Will Not Last Forever
While Mother’s Day can come with discouragement for some of us, it’s comforting to know that the pain you feel is only temporary. It might not feel that way, especially if you have been grieving for a long time. But Scripture promises us that when Christ returns, He will make all things new. All the brokenness in this world and in our lives will be washed away. And God will wipe away all of our tears (Revelation 21:4). Even though the promise of eternity does not change your circumstances in the present, it does influence how you respond to them. When the tears roll down your face, you can have peace knowing that one day you will never cry again. As the waves of grief wash over you, hope in the truth that one day your pain will be no more. Whatever you feel in the present moment, know that you have a future where sorrows will cease.
Even though this Mother’s Day will have its pain points, I know I can take comfort in the presence and promises of God. The same is true for you. Come to God with all that you feel on this day and find your comfort in Him, knowing that right here and now, God loves you and is with you, and He is bringing you to where you will never hurt again.
