﻿ May 15, 2023 The One Voice I’m Learning To Listen to as a Mom

May 15, 2023 The One Voice I’m Learning To Listen to as a MomRUTH SCHWENKLee en español “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV) Long gone are the diapers and sippy cups. No more onesies. Or high chairs. And as my children have outgrown one season and grown into another, becoming teens and young adults, I’ve been experiencing some “proud mom” moments — coupled with sighs of relief — as I see the fruit of my labor as a mom becoming a reality. No, this relief isn’t because my children are perfect or because I feel like I have “made it.” The relief is that through 20 years of being a mom, I am learning who to listen to. We all have those voices in our lives, often speaking with sincerity, that try to help us by telling us what we should or shouldn’t do or be. Those voices can seem especially loud for us moms. Maybe it is even our own voice speaking words of insecurity, shame or inadequacy. Whatever voices seem the loudest, this new season of mine is marked not by becoming deaf to those voices but instead by becoming far more discerning. I still want to listen and learn. But when it comes to who I listen to and am shaped by, I'm more selective. It’s no surprise that as we turn to the pages of the Bible, we are often told to listen to voices of wisdom and truth. A good example is Romans 8:16: “The [Holy] Spirit himself,” Paul writes, “testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” One of the primary jobs of the Holy Spirit is to speak to us. He reminds us who we are. His job is to testify to what is true. So the voice I am learning to listen to the most is God’s voice. Yes, we listen to the voices of others to learn and grow, but ultimately God’s voice guides us and grounds us in this journey. Here are three reasons we listen to God’s voice above all the rest: 1. God’s voice reminds us that we are loved. What really grounds us is not seeing the fruit of our labor, getting thanked for it, or feeling respected and fulfilled because of it. What steadies our souls is that our Father deeply loves us, and we are in Christ through faith. We are God’s children, fully accepted and cherished, not because of our works as moms but because of the work of Christ. 2. God’s voice leads us without driving us. People’s voices try to drive us as moms, telling us what we should be and do. Too often, we get caught up in the chorus and become driven by fear, pride or insecurity. In contrast, the voice of God is one that “will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13a, NIV, emphasis added). He reminds us that motherhood is not a race or a competition. Just as He is leading us, He is leading our children. We don’t have to be anxious, fearful or envious. 3. God’s voice makes us more like Jesus. Many times, the voices around us tell us what we’re not. God's good and gracious voice reminds us of the hope of who we are becoming. Motherhood is not about perfection; motherhood is about God making us more like our perfect Savior, Jesus, every day. This process of being perfected is a lifelong journey of the Holy Spirit’s work inside us that will one day be complete when Christ returns. We are to tune our ears to Him — the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). He alone can truly help us when we are weak, and He humbles us when we rely too much on our own strength. So today when you hear all those outside voices, or maybe even the ones inside, stop and listen. But listen first to the voice of love and truth — the voice that matters the most. The voice of a good and perfect Father who saves all who trust in His Son, Jesus. The voice of the One who calls you His own. Dear Jesus, help me to hear You first — and to listen to who You say I am — before I ever look or listen to others in this motherhood journey. Thank You for loving me just as I am and for loving me so much that You don’t want me to miss opportunities to become more like You. Help me to learn and grow as I follow You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.