Finding Contentment In The Mess

Raise your hand if you are sooo glad (or can’t wait until) your child is 100% potty trained. If your kiddos are already potty trained, remember what it was like before? I’ve never met a woman who enjoyed changing diapers or the process of potty training, so I’m going to guess your hand is held high. Maybe even waving vigorously. Based on the moms I know, the parenting books I’ve read, mom blogs, and word on the street, there is always something in each stage of our kiddos lives that falls into the “I can’t wait for this to be over” category. Even when you are parenting an adult child. Hopefully the bodily function related challenges cease sooner rather than later, but let’s get real, one or two may pop up even in the later years! Contentment is hard to find.

Let’s put these challenges in light of the Word of God.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Is God’s grace sufficient for you? Even if you are stuck changing diapers and cleaning up poop puddles or late night sickness every day of your life? Be real with yourself. God already knows the answer to that question and it’s just you and him right now. Do you live your life in a way that allows God’s power to be made perfect in your weakness – your impatience, your mom-judgey and revenge-plotting thoughts, your self centered “woe-is-me” attitude?

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. It’s OK if your answer is no.

This is a really, REALLY difficult challenge for us moms. We must cover our lives in prayer for contentment every day, with the ultimate goal to humble ourselves before God and others. That is really what it’s all about. If we aren’t content, it means we want better for ourselves. We think that we deserve more than what God has provided for us. We don’t like where we are or what we have… I don’t like getting pooped on, OK?!?! Can we just get to the next stage of my child’s life already?

Let’s look to Jesus for a practical example of how we can put our struggles into perspective.

Philippians 2:1-11

“1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.”

Re-read verses 6-8. God came down in human form, not considering equality with God something to be grasped. Jesus went through every life stage that we go through, from infant to adulthood. The savior of the universe humbled himself to be restricted by human limitations and, let’s just say it, gross bodily functions of all kinds. Not only that, he was obedient unto death so that God would be exalted and we would be saved from eternal damnation. Kinda puts us in our place, huh? We have no reason to be anything but content with what God has given us. Every sweet kiss, every hug, every story time, every game, every challenge, and yes…every poop explosion, is a gift from God. Because he could have walked away from us, destroying any future we have in this hollow world. Instead, he gave us the gift of life with the option to abide in him, making even the toughest of challenges a blessing.

Take inventory of the things you need to confess to God. Pray for a content heart and be encouraged that God is always there for you and always understands.

This is part of a series called The “Poop is everywhere” devotional. To read more in the series, click here. Messy Tired Love devotionals connect everyday mom moments to the truth of the gospel. Learn more here.