Prayers to bless mothers this Mother’s Day (and every day)
Posted by: Rachel Wojo
Bible reading:
“He brought to memory his wondrous deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful.” – Psalm 111:4
Listen or read below:
For years, I dreaded Mother’s Day.
Looking back on that season, I think the fear started with the fact that my mother went to heaven. While I was struggling, it seemed like every corner of the retail industry was celebrating. The aisles of the grocery store seemed to be filled with pink. Advertisements of smiling mothers and daughters appeared in every media outlet. Sermon illustration reminding you to call your mother or cook dinner for your mother. I know that’s normal, but all of this felt like it was weighing down my emotional wound.
If you know someone who has lost a mother or is dealing with the complex emotions that Mother’s Day often brings, please read these words. Your pain is real and God sees you. If you know someone who is experiencing this season for the first time, you might want to whisper these words to them.
Gradually, the Lord moved my heart away from the pain of Mother’s Day and toward the sweetness of Mother’s Day. Although it didn’t completely erase my sadness, I began to focus on the gifts God had given me. I have had the privilege of being a mother, and there have been women who have walked the beautiful but exhausting journey of motherhood with me.
One year, on the Friday before Mother’s Day, my best friend brought flowers to my front door. She hadn’t prepared a speech. She didn’t try to correct me. She just showed up with flowers and a hug.
That small act of grace stayed with me for many years. I made sure to respond to her kindness, especially in the days leading up to Mother’s Day. This year, I thought: What if we all became that to the moms in our lives? Maybe we can make it not just for Mother’s Day, but for all the days of everyday life when motherhood feels invisible and relentless?
Psalm 111:4 teaches us that the Lord is merciful and merciful. Grace and compassion are woven into his very character. Notice the first half of that verse. “He caused people to remember his amazing works.” God doesn’t just do merciful things and move on. He makes sure they remember. God wants us to look back and see His fingerprints as we work through the lives of those around us. It might look like a message that says, “You’re doing better than you think.”
Most of us have more on our plate than we can see. Whether it’s the mental strain of managing the household finances, the guilt of losing patience, the sadness of a struggling child, or the loneliness of feeling like everyone needs something and there isn’t enough. Grace says, “I met you, and you don’t need to earn my kindness.”
Imagine the beauty of this season if we showed up unsolicited, talked about the effort and not just the results, gave her permission to not be okay, and prayed for her. Let us be people who understand the goodness and mercy of our God and aspire to pour it out on others. Would you like to pray together?
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you to all the moms in our lives who are thriving and those who are just barely holding on.
I see lots of laundry and whispered prayers for sleeping children. There was a mom who was smiling at church this morning and then crying in the parking lot afterwards. You know all the sacrifices that go unnoticed and all the horrors that go unspoken.
Lord, make us the ones who extend your grace to these women. Let’s focus on what they need, not just on Mother’s Day, but also in the exhausting days of everyday life when no one celebrates with them. Give us the courage to show up, share our lives, and carry their burdens.
To every mother reading this, Father, remind her right now that your grace is sufficient today. She doesn’t have to be perfect. She’s already yours.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
If you’re looking for meaningful ways to encourage mothers this season, be sure to check out my prayer card set, 31 Prayers to Help a Mother’s Heart. These cards come from my own journey through the beautiful turmoil of motherhood and are designed to help you meet your mother where she is right now. Whether she’s feeling overwhelmed, feeling guilty, or simply needs a reminder that God is watching her, these cards will meet her there.
Join the conversation! Please share how today’s devotional spoke to you in the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/LSOphoto
Rachel Wojo is an inspirational author, speaker, and podcaster known for her popular blog rachelwojo.com. Through her Biblical approach and personal life experience, Rachel empowers women to find strength and hope in everyday situations. Despite enduring the loss of her mother, her special needs adult daughter, and her father, Rachel remains resilient. She is the author of the uplifting book Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life’s Darkest Moments and a beautiful new spiral-bound prayer journal, Praying for God’s Promises. Rachel is crazy about her husband, Matt, and cherishes motherhood with six children on earth and two in heaven.
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