Mothers, Carry Your Cross: Part 2

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses is life for my sake will save it" Luke 9:23-24.


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In my last post (“Mothers Carry Your Cross: Part 1) I looked at Titus 2 for application as to what it means for a mom to carry her cross. This is a continuation of those thoughts.

I have heard many well-meaning people say that moms need to love and care for themselves first, so that they have the energy and desire to love their children. Not surprisingly, I disagree with that mentality.

I often say that the best way I can love my children, is to love my husband more, but to love the Lord the most. I think that if we are laying down our lives and denying ourselves, we can rest in the Lord’s promise that His grace is sufficient, His strength is made perfect in our weakness and our Heavenly Father will supply for all our needs in Christ Jesus.

As a mom, “carrying my cross” means to love my children, just as Titus 2 states. By loving my children, I lay down my life and deny myself.

"Love their children": lay down your life

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you" John 15:13-14.

Loving our children means laying down our lives for them. There is NO greater love. Laying down our lives is a decision that we must make every day to "in humility, consider [them] better than ourselves" and to "not only look to our own interests, but also to the interests of [them]" (Philippians 2:3-4).

Great love is selflessly thinking about our children, their needs, our calling and how God would have us respond to them.

"Love their children": Deny Yourself

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

More often, as women, we need to check our motives for why we may not want to have any children or more children. For example, if our husband is wanting to have a baby, yet we are hesitant or resistant, what is holding us back?

"Do NOTHING out of selfish ambition or vain conceit" Philippians 2:3

In the past, I have found myself looking at the calendar and wondering when would be a good time to have a baby, so that I don't miss out on something I want to do (selfish ambition). And just like every woman out there, I think about the weight I will gain and the pounds I still haven't lost from my last pregnancy (vain conceit).

I think more often we need to carry our cross by denying our selfish ambitions and denying our vanity.