Mother’s Day is tomorrow and many moms will be receiving cards, flowers, and gifts crafted by their children’s hands. Yet for many women, Mother’s Day is not such a joyous occasion. It can be a reminder of children they’ve lost, or never had at all. For others, it can bring to mind memories of mothers who weren’t there for their children, or who were abusive, or who may be sick or already passed from this life. A day when mothers are honored and celebrated can leave those in pain feeling isolated and defeated.
If you find it a struggle to embrace the joy of Mother’s Day, look to the Scriptures where there are many words of comfort. Psalm 46:1-3 says “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble” and Proverbs 18:10 reminds us that even if we feel vulnerable “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteousness run into it and are safe.”
It’s important to remember that it’s okay to feel sad, and that in your pain your Heavenly Father is watching over you and protecting you. Psalms 34:19 says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed.”
Also, consider these words of hope that Jesus gives to His Apostles in John 16:20, as he prepares them for his death and resurrection: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
There is also great comfort to be found in these words from St. Paul in Romans 8:38-39, who reminds us that nothing — no loss or pain or distress — can ever keep us from the love of God: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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