Gospel Grace

The Gospel Coalition had this article about Mother's Day and I starred it in my google reader to come back to later. I knew I wanted to come back to it and possibly share it, because it encouraged me greatly. Because although being a mother is beautiful and rewarding, it is also very difficult and can be full of regret and heartache. The last paragraph specifically spoke to where I am in life, for where I struggle in life and where, I believe, might always be a struggle.

"And mom, who fails her children regularly (because that’s everyone else), preach the gospel to yourself this day. If you have any grasp on your reality, you are likely painfully aware of every failure you’ve made with your children. And maybe you are fatigued by the fears of future failure as well. It’s okay that your children expose your own sin. In fact, it’s the mom who doesn’t seem daily aware of her failures that most concerns me. Christ has made the way for you to be at peace. If you sinned against your kids, ask their forgiveness. If you are kicking yourself for your failures, preach God’s grace to yourself. Don’t learn to live with your sin—don’t embrace it with the attitude “that’s just how I am.” But don’t deny it either. Be honest about it. You sinned. You confess. God forgives. You get up and walk forward in confidence. It’s called gospel grace, and THAT is the legacy to leave your children." - Wendy Alsup

I don't know about you, but that encouraged this burdened heart. Gospel grace. Two words that originate from the Father. When I became a mother, I could feel the weight of the world press down. There before me, was this precious baby that I, not only had to keep alive, but also raise and disciple, Lord willing, into a Godly young woman. There had never been anything more important in my life up until that point. Becoming a mother has made me eat my fair share of humble pie. It has made me more aware and more thankful for God's grace, His undeserving favor and forgiveness in my life. And like Martin Lloyd-Jones says, after my failures, I must preach the gospel to myself, and just like any other sin, I cannot stay in that place of guilt. I must ask for forgiveness, thank Him for his grace and move on in confidence. 

"Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says,: “Self, listen for moment, I will speak to you.” Lloyd-Jones

I also read this recently, and it too, reinforces the idea of having to preach the gospel to ourselves, since we naturally want to earn God's forgiveness. It is from Jared Wilson's blog, The Gospel-Driven Church.

"The gospel bids us strive to stop striving, because it takes conscious effort to orient our stubborn selves around the gospel. Our flesh yearns for works, for the merits of self-righteousness, so it's hard work to make ourselves rest in the finished work of Christ. It is a daily work, the labor of crucifying the flesh, taking up the cross, and faithfully following he who has finished the labor."

I pray these encourage you also, as you strive to stop striving and rest in what He did on the cross, as a mother, and as a child of God.

~cheryl~