Let’s go back to the verse that started all of this, Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do,” and bring it back to the central reason for this blog, the journey of motherhood. As moms, it is especially important because “all” includes our way of mothering.
The importance of the heart isn’t lost on one of the greatest pediatrician’s ever to practice (well, at least in my opinion). Throughout her 75 year practice she taught moms that they already have what they need to be great moms, and it did not include having a good pediatrician for your child. I completely agree. Armed with common sense, responsibility, and our hearts, we have been provided with the best equipment possible to be great moms.
Knowing that our heart affects all that we do also calls attention to a warning: what happens when your heart isn’t as it is supposed to be? What if it is filled with bitterness or worry? What if doubts have taken root in our heart? I know that I can see when I have a new unwanted visitor in my heart. I see it in living color as I interact with my son. It negatively affects the way that I act towards him. That is when I know to do as David did (see Enemies of Another Kind post), do what I can do, offer the rest to God, then praise Him for the victory as I watch Him defeat that enemy. Immediately, after the problem has been uprooted I see a difference in my mothering.
What happens, though, when it is a deep rooted issue? When the enemy has been housed in your heart for a long time? Maybe you carry scars from childhood. Maybe when you were a teenager you received one of those arrows that Brent Curtis and John Eldridge spoke of (see Small Visitors Can Cause Big Problems)in their book. First, professional assistance, such as counseling, may be needed. However, whether you need professional assistance is needed or not, the process outlined by David still applies. The only difference is that the process will be a longer one, but one in which there will be progress. And progress is a victory in itself. Just pursue those little victories and praise God for every one of them. One day you’ll do an inventory on your heart and find that your heart has changed and for the better.
The heart is also where God whispers to us. For me, it has been extremely important to keep my heart in a place where God can speak through it. It has been in His whispers that I have found the most profound advice in how to be the mom He has called me to be. He knows what our children need because He made them. He knows what they cannot communicate when they are very small or just don’t understand. He can lead you in the journey of motherhood like no one else can. His whispers bring answers and peace; your heart just needs to be a place to hear Him.
I encourage you not to forget your heart after the pink and red decorations come down. Always keep an eye on it, guard it. And when you find that something is knocking, make sure that the only one you let in is your Savior who will only bring with Him the greatest love ever known. With that love there is no limit to the kind of mom you can be for your kids.
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope it is a great one!
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