“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬ ESV

Mary captured every moment, every memory of her baby boy to cherish and comfort her later in life.

She knew as she watched her son grow the day would come when she would have to let Him go.

He had a purpose and she knew she could not stand in the way.

Oh, sure, her mother’s heart wanted to hold on a little longer, protect Him from the harsh world. Maybe she even secretly prayed He would not endure the suffering and sacrifice required of Him.

Yet, she wanted God’s plan more than she wanted to hold her son.

She had to let Him go — and trust God.

As moms, we often want to hold on to our own children. No matter what age they are, we will wake up to that dreaded day when they try something new, seeking to expand their boundaries of independence, and looking at life from a new perspective.

Honestly, we do not usually handle those situations well. Our instinct is to keep them safely inside the limits we are used to.

If they are little and learning to be mobile, we want to scoop them up and place them safely inside the playpen.

If they are teens, we want to limit their coming & going so we know they are safe — at home.

If they are adults, we want to make decisions for them so they won’t risk making a mistake.

Our intentions are for the good of our children, but they are about our wants. Our comfort.

If we never let go of them, our kids won’t learn to search for God in the new places. Or, trust Him in their decisions — even the bad ones.

The best gift we can give our kids is letting go.

Give them room to search for Him, find His boundaries for their lives, and let Him lead them in decisions.

Our kids won’t hear His whisper if mama’s voice is too loud.

God’s purpose for your children is greater than your dreams.

And, as we watch them find Him, we can treasure these blessings in our heart, too.

Lord, I confess this is not easy for this mama’s heart. Help me to hold my kids with an open hand. Quiet my voice so they can hear Your whisper. Remind my often hurting heart that Your purposes are so much greater than I could ever imagine. Forgive me when I hold on too tight; I’m still learning to let go. Amen