Imperfect Expectations and a Walk with God
- Cathrine Schmelzer
- Jun 13
- 2 min read
“We think our ability to be the perfect mom qualifies us, while His loving mercy and grace have already qualified us in His name.”
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8
Summer. Long beautiful days, full of sunshine and smiles. Siblings playing happily together for hours on end. Endless crafts and activities that enrich your child’s creativity, intelligence, and individuality fill your schedule. Everyone eats the food that has been prepared for them, cut in just the perfect way, placed in an aesthetically pleasing manner on their preferred plate.
I don’t know about your house, but now just a few weeks into summer, those perfect ideas of what our day should look like go out the door by 10 AM. After all, it’s summertime, when in reality schedules are altered and routines gone out the window. Someone is bored, someone is tired, and someone is always asking for a snack. Maybe you’re playing taxi, driving in and out of your driveway for the umteenth time, or play sibling referee with by 7:30am.
But thankfully, the expectations that we set for ourselves as moms often go far beyond that of which God requires. We think our ability to be the perfect mom qualifies us, while His loving mercy and grace have already qualified us in His name.
This passage reminds us that He has asked us to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly” with Him, not try to fulfill some unrealistic standard that we have set for ourselves. So whatever season you’re in, take a moment to recognize where you are, and root yourself not in the expectation of what this season will hold, but in the ability to thrive in this season, abiding in the standards your Father has set for you.
Action Step:
Level with yourself. What season are you currently in? Give it a name, and give it to the Lord. Ask Him to show you how to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with Him in the midst of this season.
Prayer: Good and Faithful Father, We praise You, Lord, for You are so kind to us. Sometimes we (as moms and humans) complicate things. We thank You for Your word, that it is living, and that we will continue to seek your truth in its teachings. Strengthen us, Lord, to be rooted in you through this season of motherhood, allowing our lives to glorify you in every way. We love You, Lord, Amen.
Written by Kelsey, mom of 2