Justification: The Cure for "Mommy Guilt"

In a post featured on the website Gentle Leading back in December, our own Brittany Ford shared about some of her experiences as a new mom in a new city where she and her husband continue to find their footing in a new ministry. As she hints at in the post, all of these changes sent Brittany for a loop, causing her to question her self worth. But! As you'll read, as Brittany grows as a mother, so does her understanding of justification through Christ...which changes everything. While Brittany's post has an Advent focus, it offers wisdom from which we all can benefit--regardless of the season of the year or our season of life.

Here's an especially wonderful excerpt...

"Question 33 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, 'justification is an act of God’s free grace.” We are rescued from the weight of sin and death, not because of how we perform but because of how Christ performed on our behalf in this one time act. It is by God’s grace that we are rescued from the debilitating pressure to be “the good mom.'

The freedom this brings can give us the ability to have a deep, satisfying joy, not just the happiness that comes from feeling like we measure up for a short moment. Christ was sent in the likeness of our sinful flesh as a human not only to redeem our seasons of motherhood, but to redeem us completely, in all aspects of our lives. Jesus in his humiliation was made like us in every respect to save us from the depths of our fears, anxieties, and the punishment of death by living the perfect life that we could not possibly live, no matter how hard we try. The news that brings us greatest joy is not news of our accomplishments as mothers, but the news of Christ who came to redeem us. Not what we should be doing or have done, but what he has done for us."

Read the entire post here.