May 10: As a Mother Comforts

Mother’s Day comes around this time of year, and it can bring up a lot.

For some, it’s a day of gratitude for a mother who loved well. For others, it’s tender. A mother who has died. A mother who drank. A mother you haven’t spoken to in years. Children you’ve hurt, or lost, or haven’t seen. A longing to be a mother that hasn’t been met. Guilt about the kind of mother you’ve been.

All of those feelings can come up at once, and none of them are wrong.

God chose a tender image here. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you. It’s one of several places where Scripture describes God’s love in motherly terms. Holding. Soothing. Staying close.

Whatever your story with your own mother, or with being a mother, this verse is for you. God’s comfort doesn’t depend on whether your mother was able to give it. He can give what was missing.

If this is a hard weekend, take care of yourself. Big family days can be risky in recovery. Old roles come back. Old resentments flare. Drinks get poured. Have a plan. Know when you’ll leave. Know who you’ll call. Go to a meeting if you can.

If your relationship with your mother is part of your inventory, you might be thinking about how to bring it into your Step Five. Be honest about your part. Leave out what wasn’t yours. And don’t try to fix everything this weekend. Amends come later, in their own time.

If you’re grieving, let yourself grieve. If you’re grateful, let yourself be grateful. Often it’s both.

And if you have nobody to call today, let God’s comfort be enough for this one day. Then reach out tomorrow. You’re not as alone as this day may make you feel.

One thing today

Do one kind thing that fits your situation: call your mother, visit a grave, write a note you may never send, or thank a woman who mothered you in faith. Then call someone in recovery.

A prayer

Lord, this day brings up so much. Comfort me the way a mother comforts her child. Heal what’s broken, and help me be honest and gentle with myself. Amen.

Back to this month’s step: Step Five.

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