This Mother’s Day will be a unique one for all moms. So much has changed in our lives in recent months. So much has flipped upside down. Our normal daily life is nothing like it was when the calendar rolled over into 2020. We’ve spent all our waking time with our families. We’ve juggled work, parenting duties, and schooling for our children. We’ve gotten creative in cooking with what we could find at the store. We’ve learned to connect with people through virtual platforms. And any plans we had for the future are on hold or tentative at best.
As moms, we’ve had to navigate explaining this crisis to our children, when we don’t quite understand it ourselves. We’ve had to find ways to engage our children when they are bored and miss their friends. We’ve watched far too much news and laughed over more memes than we’d care to admit. We’ve likely hid away in our closet just to get a moment of peace and maybe even shed a tear or two—or is that just me?
And in the back of our minds, we wonder, what will school look like this fall? Will sports and other activities resume as usual? When will we have a normal celebration with friends and loved ones? Will our finances ever get back on track? And for goodness’ sake, when will the stores ever have toilet paper again?
In the midst of all this, we celebrate all things motherhood this weekend. Yet it won’t look like previous years. We won’t celebrate it with extended family, and if we do, we’ll stand six feet apart with masks on our faces. We may not be able to go to our favorite place for brunch or dinner, and if we do, the restaurant will look different than before. Most of us won’t say “Happy Mother’s Day” to other moms in church because we’re still worshiping from the couch in our living room.
I don’t know about you, but I could use some gospel encouragement and hope right about now. I could use a reminder that in the midst of all this upside down craziness there is One who remains steady and sure. I could use a reminder that Christ is King. I could use a reminder that while I don’t know what the future holds, there is One who does. I could use a reminder that my Savior faced my greatest fear in my place and he holds me safe in his grip.
Dear mom friend, what we need most in uncertain times is the certainty of who Christ is and what he has done for us in his perfect life, sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection. He conquered sin and death and now reigns at the right hand of God. He gave us his Spirit who lives within us, comforting, guiding, encouraging, and transforming us. He is our sure hope in uncertain times.
Let these truths from the book of Romans wash over your heart. Fix your gaze on Christ. Recite to yourself the good news of the gospel. Let it light your way in the darkness. And whatever you encounter today, remember that Jesus Christ is your sufficient hope.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
In honor of Mother’s Day, I am giving away copies of my book, Sufficient Hope: Gospel Meditations and Prayers for Moms. To enter for a chance to win, visit my Facebook page and leave a comment on the giveaway post or find me on Instagram @christinarfox and leave a comment on the giveaway post. US residents only. Giveaway ends May 8 at 12am and winners will be messaged through social media.
