HEATHER MILITO|GUEST

As a homeschooling mother of three, it is hard for me to find much time for anything, including showers and moments of solitude. This season sometimes seems grueling and repetitive with the day-to-day tasks of child rearing, teaching, cleaning, and feeding. Where is there time in this madness to sit and reflect on the Lord’s goodness?

An Unexpected Opportunity

During the early stages of motherhood, I was overwhelmed by all my motherly duties. I did not know how to fit in my time with the Lord and find this so-called “peace” that He gives. As far as I could see, the peace that was given was tucked away at night when the kids were finally asleep and I, too, was drifting off with a closing-day prayer. I felt overwhelmed as I started the daily cycle again when my children woke up sometimes as early as 4:30!  The steady rhythm of my children waking up early for a feeding, or a snuggle, trained my biological clock so that this time in the morning could instead be time with the Lord. At first, I was frustrated that my body would wake up at 4:30 and stay awake, but now I see it as an opportunity to find the quiet time my soul yearned for early in my mothering years.

The time that I have in the morning before starting the day is precious. I sit with a cup of coffee in my hand and my Bible in my lap and enjoy time with my Heavenly Father. It has become an essential part of my day. As I grow in my knowledge of Christ, it urges me to want to know him all the more. My mind often drifts to Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” “And to walk humbly with your God.” What a high calling God has for each of His adopted children. As His children, we are called to yearn and seek after Him.  I cannot know what goodness is, what justice is, what kindness is, and who God is unless I intentionally give my time, my activities, and my best to Him.

The Bible is the love story of how God captivated the sinner’s heart and transformed her into a new being. And He has captivated me! God is transforming me, but this transformation isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s a daily journey, a constant seeking of Him. My fickle, self-seeking heart is slowly being morphed to pursue knowledge and understanding through the lens of His word and not through my own.  As Paul says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18).

Getting to know the living God permeates our whole being. Our relationships and our world view are transformed from “what is in it for me” to “what God has called me to be.” It is one thing to read and know what the Bible says but it is another thing to use that knowledge throughout the day, choosing to glorify God in our lives (James 1: 22-24).  Our knowledge of God leads to heart transformation; it leads to a changed life. The first question of Westminster Shorter Catechism says: “What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Theology matters—studying God’s word matters—because the Lord has called us to know and have an intimate relationship with Him.

Seizing Opportunities God Gives

Are you a young mom who longs to grow in your relationship with God? Though life with littles is busy and all consuming, the Lord does provide odd times during the day that are free but are possibly being given to other pursuits. Those times are opportunities to let the Lord guide you to Himself. These opportunities to abide with God may look different for every mom. Perhaps Bible reading and prayer can happen during nap time with toddlers. Or maybe during a designated quiet time for older kids, a mom can spend time engaging with God’s word. For some, that time right before bed as they close out their day might work best. It also might look like replacing time spent on social media or some other distraction with prayer and Bible reading. All these times can be beautifully crafted to draw us closer to our Creator.

In Luke 10, Jesus taught Martha that time spent with Him is necessary.  “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10: 41-42). Like Martha, we often get caught up in the daily tasks of life and treat time with the Lord as less important. But Jesus taught us that time spent with Him is more important than most anything we dedicate our free time to. Like Mary, our hearts should be oriented towards Him and Him alone.

Fellow moms, your Savior invites you to sit in His presence. Take those opportunities He provides to learn from Him. And if you ask Him for opportunities for growth He will answer, and sometimes, like in my case, in the most unexpected ways.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash