Mindful Mom

The mind of a mother is a labored machine; the mind of a mother often works harder than her hands. From her waking to her sleeping and often even in her sleep, a mother’s mind is busy working. From planning to praying, from worrying to wishing, from contemplating to calculating, a mother’s brain is almost never at rest. Like an engine running at full speed, her mind can grow weary. And yet in the book of Colossians Paul tells the Christian mother to “2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

How is it that she is to “set” her mind? Most mothers rarely “sit” their bodies, how then should she set her mind? Paul’s instruction here is not about the cessation of the “engine” or “machine”, but the direction in which it is running. He is not asking the hearer to stop thinking but rather to think on the things above, namely heavenly things. In other words, think Heaven not just seek Heaven.

Often a mother might feel inadequate in the “seeking” of Heaven because daily life keeps her buried in routine activities. Her aspirations of lengthy Bible study or selfless service are halted by dirty laundry, homework, and moody teenagers. What Paul is telling the weary mother is that “seeking God” is as simple as “thinking God.” It is the song hum in praise while she folds the clothes, the Scripture notecard that she recites as she buckles the car seats, or the brief words uttered in prayer before the battle.

The mind of a Godly mother thinks towards the things of Heaven WHILE it labors on. As if her mind is wallpapered with Godly things. And when she feels beaten by the battles of the day she can rest because she has accepted Christ and is hidden with Him in God, just like she might hide in the bathroom with a box of Oreos. He offers her a hiding place, a place to just be. Jesus loves mothers. He made provisions for His own mother while hanging on the cross. He holds the anxious moms, the busy moms, the “mom fail” moms and He says, “hey, come hide in here.” He is calling mothers everywhere now. He is calling them to set their minds and hide in God.

And why does she set her mind on Heaven? Why does she rest hidden in God? Because “Christ who is her life” will appear and she will be with Him. It is so simple; the reward is the relationship. The reward for setting her mind and hiding in God is getting to be with Jesus; the greatest reward of all.