MomStrong: Encouragement for Everyday Moms by Heidi St. JohnSample

The Original Pinterest Mom

Proverbs 31, that famous passage in the Bible that seems to be guilt inducing and inspiring at the same time, depicts a mother who appears to have it all; starting with servants and some spare cash for vineyard purchasing. As if that weren’t enough, her children stand and bless her! Her husband adores her, and she’s got great business savvy. She also has her emotional house in order, a rare combination indeed.

Like browsing picture-perfect images on Pinterest, it’s easy to read this passage and see all the ways we don’t measure up, isn’t it? There have been days when load after load of cold, wrinkled laundry seems to mock my resolve, when I can’t muster up the energy to make dinner or check that the kids’ chores are done. Sometimes I wonder what my kids will say when they look back at the way I mothered them, especially when I compare myself to others.

Precious mom, don’t fall into the trap. We don’t grow by comparing ourselves to others, we grow when we look to Jesus for approval instead of to people. We learn to discern the voice of conviction from the guilt-inducing voice of condemnation. Condemnation pushes us down, but God’s gentle voice of conviction lifts us up. If you struggle to see yourself as someone who could identify with the Proverbs 31 woman, it’s likely because of false guilt. Satan uses it to trap us in a never-ending cycle of insecurity.

When we read Proverbs 31 through the eyes of insecurity, we miss the heart of the passage. What is more precious than rubies? A virtuous and capable wife. Do you doubt your ability to do what God has called and equipped you to do? Do you struggle to see yourself as the virtuous woman God created you to be?

The way out of the cycle of insecurity is through the door of grace. God, who knew you from before the foundations of the earth, chose you to mother your unique and precious children. He chose you, knowing your propensity to wait on a dinner plan. He chose you, knowing that you would lose your temper and shout in your anger. He knows your struggles and insecurities. He wants to help you find victory.

Knowing that we are chosen by God helps us to reframe the way we see ourselves. We are full of promise and possibilities, not only for our children but for every aspect of influence God gives us. So long, insecurity! Today, I choose to believe I am who God says I am.