When motherhood feels like failure, this reflection reminds us our worth isn’t measured by our children’s outcomes but by faithful obedience. Find renewed joy, purpose, and assurance in God’s grace, even in seasons of doubt.
This article originally appeared in the Just Between Us Weekly Digital Magazine.
By Hollie Puckett
I have always wanted to do a good job. As a child, I obeyed. As a student, I strived for good grades. As an employee, I went the extra mile. My parents, report cards, and performance reports were unanimous—I was indeed doing a good job.
When I became a mother, I wanted to do a good job more than ever—and I still do. What matters most to me is raising children with Christ-like character who love the Lord. Unfortunately, my children’s sin and folly often appear to testify that I am not doing a good job.
This is a feeling that every mother is familiar with, and when it surfaces on the second Sunday in May, it can tinge Mother’s Day with pain. The reality of our children’s failures and struggles can contrast sharply with picture-perfect celebrations. We love the cards, flowers, and kind words, but we may quietly worry, “Is my motherhood truly worth celebrating?”
It’s no surprise this question arises. We take seriously our God-given responsibility to “train up” our children in the way they should go (Prov. 22:6, ESV). So, when our efforts appear fruitless, it raises serious doubts about just how good a job we’re doing. But how well we’re doing can’t always be measured by our children. It may be tempting to look at them as we would a performance report, but this will inevitably end in pain. This Mother’s Day, let’s combat this tendency and learn a better way—the biblical way—to answer, “Is my motherhood worth celebrating?”
Want more encouragement? Read the full article in Just Between Us Magazine on Substack—your weekly source of biblical encouragement for women.
