Sometimes, it’s a consequence of whatever I do that I will feel guilty. A friend has convinced me, though, to let go of the guilt, because sometimes, I need to do things for MYSELF to better live out the vocation God has called me to.
So, to be a better mommy, I sometimes have to finish my lunch without running right over to pick the fussy baby up.
Other times, to be a better wife, I sometimes have to forego the extra playtime outside so I can talk to that guy I married.
And then there are the times that I just can’t be better for everyone who needs me. Who gets priority? Who tops the list?
You’ll have to answer those questions for yourself, but I can tell you one thing: the guilt is NOT a benefit. Guilt can bog you down and make you forget what you came into the kitchen for in the first place. Guilt can make you a shadow of the cheerful person everyone around you knows and loves. Guilt can be a way of giving in when you should be buckling down.
We won’t ever get things perfect. (Or, if we do, it won’t happen all the time.) But we’re in good company. The saints were human too. For that matter, JESUS was human.
So the next time you’re tempted to stay up late and finish the dishes or feel guilty about yakking away with the only adult you’re likely to talk to before 6 PM while your toddler watches some PBS…
…STOP.
(As I type this, my own three-year-old is parked in front of some cartoon and the infant is sucking on a change purse.)
While guilt has a purpose in the grand scheme of things, the guilt that comes from looking to the greener grass does NOT. It doesn’t make you better as a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister. It doesn’t take the extra weight off or make your kids love you more. It’s not a tool of your Father to get your attention.
So…
…go to bed early.
…snuggle that little one a few extra minutes.
…let go of your worry.
…compare yourself to YOU, not to anyone else.
…take this hug from me, with a prayer thrown in, and enjoy your day!
