Motherhood is One of God's Refining Fires

I was reading about Hannah this morning in First Samuel. After years of not being able to conceive, Hannah promised the LORD that if He would give her a son, she would give that son back to Him. God did indeed give Hannah and Elkanah a son whom they named Samuel. When Samuel was three years old, Hannah took him to the temple to live with Eli. She gave him back to the LORD.

As a young adult, I prayed that I would have the faith of Hannah. As a mother, I was amazed at Hannah's faith. I found myself giving my children back to God over and over again. Maybe Hannah did that too in those first fleeting years. But maybe, through her inability to conceive, she learned early the profound truth that mothers struggle to hold. Our children are not ours at all, and they never have been. They are His.

When a sweet baby is born, the professionals tell us that the baby doesn't quite know where he stops and mom begins. The bond that the new mother has with her baby makes that distinction fuzzy for her also. It certainly feels like the baby is her own. But oh, so quickly, the little one begins a series of events in a journey toward independence. Rolling over, sleeping through the night, sitting up, walking. While each milestone is celebrated, there is an element of sadness as the mother realizes more and more that her baby needs her less and less. The heart's contradiction is huge. 

In my world recently . . .
          A young mother stopped breast feeding.
          A new mother went back to work.
          A mother's first born started school.
          A mother's only child left for college.
          A mother's daughter got married.
          And a mother's son died.
                                . . . letting go is hard.

You have your own list and even though these events are not the same as leaving your three year old at the temple forever, they are still hard passages. It would be easy for any mother to crumble in a corner and cry through these things. I have done my share. But read what Janet Parshall says in "A Woman After God's Own Heart":

"Motherhood gives us feelings of fuzzy blankets and baby rattles and toys to line the crib. But motherhood is actually one of God's refining fires. The reality of motherhood is that it's a place to learn surrender, letting go, trusting and believing that God is God."

What a perspective. And what an example Hannah is for us. We don't know exactly what she dealt with or how much she cried, but in the end there was surrender, trust, and believing God is who He says He is. May each of us come through the refining fire that way.

In my family, we are headed toward the milestones of both a first birthday and a second birthday on February 5. James is walking, climbing and doing everything a one year old should. Jonathan is talking, counting and doing everything a two year old should. Samuel mostly smiles and coos which is very appropriate for a three and a half month old.

My prayer today is for their mothers, the mothers of my grandchildren. My sweet girls, as you experience both the joys and struggles of motherhood, may you recognize "God's refining fires." May you find peace in trusting your most precious responsibilities to the only One who is trustworthy. And may the boys flourish as their mothers grow in their relationship with God. All to His glory, to His end, for His purpose.

I love you girls!