Contentment Brings the Joy, Mama

Tonight we we’ll talk about how being content brings joy to us as mamas.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Good evening mamas and welcome back to Midlight, your light in the middle of the night. Tonight I want to talk to you about who we do all this for, all this hard work that we do as mothers. We definitely do it for our children because we love them and we love these little babies so so much. But you know who we ultimately do all this hard work for? I believe we do all this hard work for the Lord, because He is the audience that sees us, as we are tending to our little ones in the middle of the night, as we are changing that diaper again, as we are making another bottle or nursing again. It is the Lord who seeds us. None of that goes unseen by Him. I know that we can grow weary in doing well, but the Lord tells us not to. He says, Do not grow weary in doing well. And I believe him, and we know why, because the Lord is our strength, and especially the joy of the Lord is our strength. I am so thankful that our strength is not our own, but it comes from the Lord. I wanted to share with you tonight a couple of verses that I thought might encourage you, and one comes from Colossians three and twenty three, and it says, And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. This is the place in Scripture where we see specifically that God has called us not to serve man, but to serve Him, and that we are to do it heartily, like with all our hearts, love on and nurture these little ones that He has entrusted to us. And Mama, I realize there's so much more that you do, like feeding people and doing laundry and taking care of dishes and running errands. There is so much in your day, but I just want you to know that in all of those things that you are doing, the Lord says, Do it heartily for me, not for men. So be encouraged tonight, mammas, that we are called to do this beautiful work for the Lord and that He sees us and that He is our audience. I'm gonna go now to Philippians chapter four and verse eleven. And it says, But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last your care for me has flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. This is Paul talking to the Philippians, and he is explaining that he is okay to be content in whatever state he is in. He goes on in verse twelve to say, I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Isn't that encouraging, mammas, that we can learn to be content in whatever state we are in as a mother, and that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. What a beautiful place to be with the Lord. I know how hard it is to be a mother, and I know how hard it is to take care of your family when you yourself may feel weary or tired, even hungry. But in those moments, take care of yourself, Mama. Do what you need to do to make sure that your body has what it needs, and also know to be content in your motherhood. Sometimes we can believe that motherhood should be a certain way and it should be maybe more glamorous or more this or that, but mama, I encourage you tonight to be content with where you are as a mother. If you find yourself feeling like your life isn't quite like everyone else's that you see on social media or something else, I would encourage you, Mama, just to know that the Lord has given you exactly what you are to be given and he knew exactly where to put you, and you can be content in the places that God has given you. Because do you remember the episode where we talked about the Lord maintains my lot and the lines have fallen in pleasant places? Oh, mama, the Lord has done that. He has allowed those lines to fall in pleasant places, so I encourage you to not be robbed of the joy of your motherhood in this game of trying to compare with another mother, but instead I encourage you to be content with whatever state the Lord has given you, because He is your sustainer, and He knew exactly what He was doing when He put you with this little one in this season and at this time. I know it's cliche to tell you that this season will not last forever, but it isn't going to last forever, and it's important to soak up those moments and enjoy them while they last, because before you know it, it will be done, and you will be done with this season and moved on, and believe it or not, you will look back and miss it. I know that's hard to believe as you sit up in the middle of the night, but you will, Mama. So I want to encourage you that when you can look back years from now down the road, I want you to look back on this moment and remember it with joy and no regrets. I want you to remember that you did all that you knew to do to enjoy the journey of motherhood with this little one, and that you found that you could be content in all circumstances like Paul was when you were mothering this little baby. Don't get robbed by the joy of thinking it should be different. Embrace what it is. I want to share this verse with you from Jeremiah 31 and verse 3, and it says, The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness I have drawn you. Do you know why I share that verse with you from Jeremiah 31? I share it because I want you to remember in your contentness that the Lord has drawn you close with his loving kindness, and that you are not alone because he loves you with an everlasting love, Mama. So tonight remember that you work for an audience that is the Lord, not man. You work heartily for him as you take care of your little ones, that you are so loved by the Lord that he draws you close with his loving kindness. Mama, it is a joy to spend time with you tonight on this night as you are up with your little one. Thank you for spending time with me tonight at midlight. I want to pray a blessing over you now. May the Lord bless you and keep you, make his face to shine upon you, be gracious unto you and give you peace. That comes from Numbers 6, 24 through 26. What a blessing to spend time with you tonight, Mama. I look forward to next time, but until then, take care.