Mothering Out of the Abundance

We’ve all probably been in those awkward situations where we see another mom speaking in a manner that seems a little too harsh. It’s so hard to watch, isn’t it? Today I was having a conversation with my kids, and I realized that I was speaking much more harshly than I wanted to speak. I was so upset and so disappointed in myself and my parenting. I realized I was speaking and mothering out of the abundance of my heart.

For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45b

I could see from their expressions that I was coming across much more severely than I intended. I wasn’t yelling or screaming, but I sure wasn’t being kind.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a breakfast person – and honestly, the bigger (and healthier), the better! If I don’t have breakfast, you can tell pretty quickly. I’m grouchy, I complain about silly things, and I’m just not too happy.

My hurried morning meant that I wasn’t going to get to everything I wanted to, so I made the choice to do what had to be done (my breakfast, of course) and give up the thing that was most convenient to skip – time with Jesus. After all, I could always come back to that, right? I could have my quiet time later in the day, and everything would be fine.

As I looked at my kids’ expressions, I realized that my physical breakfast was of some good, but giving up my spiritual breakfast left me weak and unpleasant.

Somehow, despite my imperfections, my kids were quick to forgive. I stopped speaking harshly; I got down on their level and apologized for snapping at them. I explained that I tried to cut corners and skipped my time with Jesus, and it was just not working out for me.

How tender a child’s forgiveness is – a beautiful reminder of God’s forgiveness. No matter what we do, He takes our sin and erases it from His mind, as far as the east from the west.

Sisters, what is overflowing from the abundance of your heart? Mine wasn’t pretty – it was so evident to me where I messed up.

But, graciously, God also made it evident just how beautiful the time spent with Him can be as my kids graciously forgave me and heard what I was trying to say.

The benefit of my spiritual breakfast is too great to pass up. There won’t always be time for a full devotional time that I like to have, but I can at least choose to start my day with a prayer, a verse – something to help me start my day focused on Jesus. I want that to be the abundance that my children experience in my life.

How about in your life – have you seen how the abundance of your heart can make a difference in the lives around you? Let’s be intentional about filling our hearts with Jesus!