Grace for Today

Do you ever feel like you can barely make it through a day, let alone something that’s coming in the future? As I near the third trimester with my third son, I often find myself wondering how we are going to do with three boys under three. It seems like a daunting task even though I know many who have experienced it. There is something about the unknown that can feel scary and as the weeks go on and April gets closer I find myself trying to figure out what it is going to be like. The problem I keep running into is that God has not given me grace for April because it is only January. He has only given me grace for today.

When I was growing up I would worry about all sorts of things depending on my age and what was going on in my life. It could range from how I did in school to what others thought of me to being afraid of dying and on and on. One thing that I remember my mom telling me often throughout my life is that “God doesn’t give you dying grace until you’re dying.” I don’t remember where she heard that from originally, but it has stuck with me throughout my life. The concept of it applies to so much more than dying because God doesn’t give us the grace for any situation until we are in that situation. He is never late in giving us the grace we need for any given situation. He is always right on time — even if it doesn’t feel that way to us.

I like to have a plan and a routine, so for me I’d like to know what having three boys under three is going to be like now, so that I can plan for it. Anyone who has children knows how impractical that is because there is no exact plan when it comes to little ones. There are curve balls thrown at parents throughout the day — seemingly everyday in my experience so far. Children are not robots, so they might sleep well one day and not the next. They might behave well one day and not as well the next. They might eat well one day and not the next. They might get sick out of seemingly nowhere or pick up on a new behavior that requires discipline and teaching that you weren’t expecting. Needless to say, even if someone could tell me “exactly” what three boys under three is going to look like, I still wouldn’t actually be able to plan for it. I know that there will be some really hard moments, days, possibly even weeks or months, but I also know that there will be many sweet moments, love, and so much opportunity for growth! I know that God will use each season of my life to continue to guide and lead me into being the woman, wife, and mama that He has created me to be.

A verse that comes to mind is one that I found years ago when my mom encouraged me to do a word study in the Bible on worrying/being anxious. In Matthew 6, Jesus is talking about why we, as believers, are not to be anxious about anything. He says in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” We are not God and therefore have no idea what each day will hold before we are in it, so for us to worry about a day that hasn’t happened yet is foolish. We honestly don’t know how many days we have on this earth, so we might worry about a day that we never even get to see. I don’t mean for that to sound morbid, but rather to help with my perspective. Every breath we take is a miracle — a gift from God. Each day that we are given is a gift. I don’t need to worry about tomorrow or any other future day because I trust in the One who is already there and He is the only One that knows how many days I have on this earth and what the future looks like anyway.

In the same moment that I worry about having three boys under three, I am also reminded of the gift it will be to get to have three boys under three. Children are such a blessing from God and I am so honored to be the mama of each of my sweet boys. I pray that the remainder of this pregnancy goes well and that labor and delivery are smooth and without any complications. I pray that I stay healthy and that our sweet boy stays healthy. It will be an honor to have three boys under three to care for and love and I know that God will give me the grace I need for it when I need it. Right now I don’t have to have the grace for three boys under three. Right now I need the grace for two boys two and under with a third on the way because that is my current reality. So, the next time we find ourselves worrying about the future, may we remember that “God doesn’t give us dying grace until we’re dying.” We can trust Him and know that His grace will never be late and He will always give us the grace we need for today.

Song(s) of the Week: This week I chose “Already There” by Casting Crowns because I like it and it’s a great reminder. Enjoy!