Rest, Reflect, and Remember: Honouring Mothers on the Lenten Path
Here we are, the middle of Lent. You’ve persevered, rising up like a warrior, enduring sacrifice, overcoming trials. But even in the greatest journeys, there comes a time to pause, to reflect, to remember what truly matters.
And in the heart of Lent, one day calls us to do exactly that: Mother’s Day.
On this day especially, even though we still have our own missions in life, we must turn our attention to one who has been walking with us since the beginning.
A mother’s love is felt in the whisper of a lullaby, the warmth of a gentle touch on a fevered forehead, the silent prayers she prays when no one is watching.
She mirrors the love that God has for us. We don’t very often see it, but its impact can most certainly be felt.
Even when Jesus was at the cross being crucified, within his final moments, he acknowledged Mary who was knelt at the foot of the cross. The woman who bore him and who God blessed to carry and nurture his son.
So this week, pause and remember the mother and mother figures we have in our lives.
- Rest in gratitude.
- Reflect on her sacrifices.
- Remember her love.
This journey is never meant to be a solo one, Jesus’ never was and through every challenge, every season, one person has always been there—often unseen, often unrecognized.
A mother’s love is not always noticed, but it is always there. And just as Christ sacrificed for us, so too do mothers sacrifice daily, often in ways we never realize.
The Unseen Sacrifices of a Mother: A Love That Mirrors Christ’s
The greatest acts of love are often unseen, yet they shine the brightest.
Sacrifices from parents may come in many forms: Driving us to school activities, helping with homework, showing up for every school play and assembly.
The things that we can see with our natural eyes are obvious. Whenever a child sees a parent, their faces light up. Especially when they are center stage and their parents are watching from the sidelines. It gives them so much joy seeing the people they look up to, right there with them.
But a mother has a love that remains unseen. We can underestimate just how much a mum can do for us.
But no matter what, a mother will forever love us and even forgive before we even ask her for it.
Isaiah 66:13: As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.
Her love is a reflection of how Jesus’s love is for us. No matter how much we may slip up as her children, how many mistakes we make, she will always love us.
Very often, the father fights outside of the house, whereas a mother fight battles from the heart.
Her sacrifices are very often the unseen quiet moments:
- Sleepless nights
- Getting up before the crack of dawn to make preparations for the day.
- The emotional weight she carries that no one else can see.
- Preparing meals for the family
- Her comfort when her children are sad.
The list is endless, but these are just a very small portion of the great things she does for her children. All of these I can personally relate to and the love my mum has shown cannot be counted or measured, because it is endless.
Just as Christ laid down his life in love, a mother lays down hers every day in many countless ways, many that we do not see, so that her children can thrive and become all God has created them to be.
This week, may we express gratitude and love towards her. Some things we can do are calling her on the phone, demonstrating an act of kindness or even spending time with her.
Whatever you choose to do, always remember to do it the way she does things for you: with love. But for some, this day carries a different weight—a weight of grief, longing, or loss.
What happens when Mother’s Day is not a celebration, but a reminder of absence?
When Mother’s Day Brings Pain: Finding Comfort in Christ
While there are those who celebrate this day with their mothers, for others it is not a day of joy, but actually a time of grief.
This day, this is more of remembering the mother figure, rather than experiencing it with her.
Whether you have a mother who is absent or has passed, the ache of missing them can be difficult.
All of us have experienced the pain of loss in our lives, it might not be directly within the family, but all of us on some degree know what this is like.
For those whose mothers have passed
The ache of missing her never truly fades. It is always there. While it may not be evident on the outside, on the inside, it can feel like the tug of the heartstrings is really intense.
One of the ways you can encourage yourself and honour them is by carrying forward the love that she showed and gave you.
It may be painful to talk about it, but when you speak highly of your mother you are passing forward that love to others and you are honouring her by remembering the wonderful and great things she did throughout her life.
Every mother passes on a legacy in their family tree and that is a legacy that every woman can be proud to be a part of as they aspire to become like the woman who carried them, raised them and love them.
To remember her: light a candle, share her life within the company of others, visit her resting place and sit in reflective peace with her. Remember how she lived and remember how you were blessed to grow up with her as your mum, friend and guide in life.
For those who never had a mother figure
Losing a mother is difficult, never having one who was present in your life can be just as painful.
On this day, you may be feeling a sense of emptiness.
Isaiah 66:13 says: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.”
When you feel alone, remember that God is always with you, closer than any friend, stronger than any earthly bond.
Your worth is not measured by what you lacked, but by who you are in Christ. Even if you never had a mother figure, you are not forgotten, not less loved, and not alone.
Jesus understood this. He was rejected, abandoned, and misunderstood, yet He fulfilled His purpose. Your story is not defined by what was missing, but by the love that surrounds you now.
Your presence in this world is not an accident:
- God created you with purpose.
- Your life matters.
- You have the ability to change someone else’s story.
You may not have had a mother figure in your life, but that does not mean you are forgotten.
I want to encourage you: You ARE fully loved, You ARE cherished, you ARE chosen, you ARE deeply loved, you ARE fully seen AND fully received by God.
For those who grieve, for those who long, God sees your heart and holds your tears.
A Message for Both Groups
Maybe you’ve watched others embrace their mothers on this day and felt a quiet ache inside, wondering what that kind of love feels like. God sees that longing. He understands it. And He promises to fill the spaces left empty.
God sees and feels your pain, and He is near to those who feel forgotten.
Just like it says in Psalm 56:8: You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
Not only does God know all your hurts, but he collects all your tears, because to him they are precious and you yourself are his precious son and daughter. He really does care for you.
Family is more than blood. Sometimes, God places people in our lives to be spiritual mothers, mentors, and encouragers, who love and guide us just as deeply.
Consider the other women in your life who you have been blessed with, just because they didn’t carry you in their womb, it doesn’t mean their love is no less real.
You also have the power to give love, to share it with others who may be in a similar situation you are. You can be a source of encouragement, kindness, and strength to others.
Mother’s Day does not have to be a day of sorrow, it can be a day of reflection, healing, and gratitude for the love that surrounds you.
You are not alone. You are part of a greater family, the family of God. You are loved beyond measure, valued beyond words, and chosen for something greater than you can imagine.
While this day can be painful for some, it is also a day of hope, a reminder that love continues, that healing is possible, and that God is always writing new stories. For those who long to be mothers themselves, this day carries another weight, the ache of waiting, the uncertainty of the future. If that is you, know this: God sees your longing, He hears your prayers, and His timing is always perfect.
A Word to Future Mothers and Those Waiting on God’s Timing
You may be seeing other women cradling their newborns in their arms, holding the hands of their little children, or even having loving conversations with their teenage or adult children.
For those praying to be mothers, Mother’s Day can feel bittersweet, a mix of hope and longing, of faith and uncertainty.
Perhaps you are in a position to have children, but are unsure if it is the right time to have them.
Maybe you and your partner aren’t sure about having children, but deep down, a quiet desire stirs within you, a longing you’re hesitant to voice, afraid of disrupting the life you’ve built.
Maybe you are single, having not met someone and really want to have children when you do marry. But wonder if it will ever happen, if you will ever find someone who not only will love you, but share and live your dream of being a parent.
The waiting can be a challenge alongside being in a moment like this. But what you need to understand is that your story is not over. Your journey is unfolding.
You are not alone in this longing. Many women in the Bible before you, Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, prayed, waited, and wondered if their time would ever come.
I’m sure at one point, they got disheartened in the waiting season, but they trusted God and eventually he rewarded their faithfulness.
A silhouetted mother lifts her child into the air on a beach during sunset, symbolizing hope, waiting, and God’s divine timing.
God hears your prayers, he knows you have a strong desire to be a mother. The fact that you have a great maternal instinct to love before the promise has come to pass demonstrates a heartwarming and incredible faith.
Becoming a mother is more than just biology, it’s about nurturing, guiding and loving others in a way that is reflective of God loving his children.
Hold on to that dream. Hold on to that vision. You may have prayed for years, wondering if God hears you. You may have watched friends and other family members become mothers while you quietly hold onto your own dream of parenthood. I want to reassure you: God has NOT forgotten you.
He knows how long it’s been and he hears your prayers. Rest in God that not only will he bless you with a husband, but that you will also be blessed with wonderful children and that they will call you blessed.
Waiting is never easy, but God is always at work, preparing the way, and shaping the future. For those who are already stepping into this new season of motherhood, whether with joy, uncertainty, or fear, there is another journey ahead. One that requires trust, strength, and faith.
For Mothers-to-Be: Embracing the Journey Ahead
New life, new love, new purpose, your journey of motherhood begins with faith.
Becoming a mum is one of life’s most beautiful and transformative experiences. My own mother has often shared how much joy and love filled her heart when she held me and my sister for the first time.
A mother’s love is undeniable, it radiates in the very moment she first lays eyes on her newborn son or daughter.
Pregnancy brings joy, but it also brings uncertainty. There may be moments when fear will whisper to you. But hear this: God never calls without equipping. He never blesses without providing.
For an expectant mother, so many questions may flood your mind.
- Am I prepared for this?
- Am I good enough to be a mother?
- What if I make mistakes?
- Will I make a great mother?
This is normal, especially when you are about to become a parent for the first time, but this does not define you.
While fathers prepare to lead and provide, mothers carry the weight of creation itself: physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Part of the reason you have been blessed to carry a child is because God knows you are ready and more than capable of raising this child you are bringing into the world.
Psalm 127:3: “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”
You have been chosen for this. Every parent is blessed with the child God has for them, just as every child is blessed by God to have you as their parents and for those women who are pregnant right now, you will see that blessing with your own eyes.
Mary and Joseph went through this exact same pregnancy journey with Jesus. She must have felt unprepared, especially in carrying such a great burden. The responsibility she had was huge.
But all throughout the pregnancy she trusted God, he allowed him to guide her thought and eventually, she bought Jesus into the world and it was that day every life throughout time changed.
No mother starts with all the answers, there is no magic click of the fingers and you become all knowing. Just like overtime answers are given to us for things, it is the exact same thing as pregnancy, you find things out as you go through the journey.
If you are pregnant and feeling uncertain, hear this truth: You ARE ready. You ARE equipped. You ARE strong. You WILL be the blessed, loving, and incredible mother that God has called you to be.
Whether you are a mother, longing to be one, or simply honouring the one who raised you, this day is a time to pause, to cherish, and to reflect.
Motherhood, in all its forms, is a sacred gift, a reflection of God’s love on earth.
So let’s take this moment to rest in gratitude, to reflect on the mothers who have shaped us, and to remember the blessings they have brought into our lives.
Rest, Reflect, and Remember
Even as we walk our Lenten journey, we must take a moment to honour the women who gave us life.
- May wepause and reflect on the love she has given, the love that shapes us.
- May we reflect on the impact she has had on our lives.
- May we remember her, whether she is on earth or in Heaven.
Mothers shape the world not with grand gestures, but with quiet sacrifices, whispered prayers, and unwavering love.
Their hands may grow weary, but their love never fades. Whether they walk beside us or watch over us in Heaven, their impact is eternal.
Proverbs 31:28: Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.
A Personal Message to all Mothers
Being a mum is not easy; it’s one of the hardest jobs in the world. But your love, your sacrifices, and your unwavering dedication never go unnoticed.
There may be moments of challenge, of disagreement, of exhaustion. But through it all, your love remains unshaken, and in the end, it is through both words and actions that your children will always cherish you.
Thank you for everything. For your sacrifices, your patience, and your endless love. Words will never be enough to express our gratitude, but know this: you are seen, you are valued, and you are deeply, deeply loved. As previously mentioned above in Proverbs 31:28 says, “Her children arise and call her blessed,” today, we do the same.
Pause. Breathe. Remember, the love you give today echoes for eternity.
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