Renouncing the Loser Mothers Club

Okay, I am a loser as a mother!

No really, it’s true.

I forgot my youngest son at church for the second Sunday in a row. That officially makes me a loser of a mother, right? 

My Defense

Now, in my defense, we noticed him missing within minutes of driving off. And, it wasn’t like he was all alone. Playing in the fellowship hall with other 10-year-olds was the reason for being left behind.

Also I am in good company among forgetful mothers who leaves their sons at church. After all, Mary and Joseph unknowingly left 12-year-old Jesus behind in a temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41–50). And it took them three days to find him compared to my three minutes!

Loser Mothers Club

That didn’t matter, though, leaving your child someplace where you didn’t intend, messes with your mommy self-esteem! On this day, my mind was a fertile field waiting to nourish those seeds of discouragement. I rejoined (yes, I’ve been there before) multitudes of other women in the “Loser Mothers” club.

Leaving your child someplace where you didn’t intend, messes with your mommy self-esteem! Click To Tweet

It is amazing how quickly we mothers join the club! We can go from being confident to insecure in a millisecond, and often for very little reason.

And Satan loves to help us out, whispering disparaging words when we inevitably fall short! He jumped at this chance, encouraging me to dissect the past 17 years to grade myself in motherhood:

Were there any other times I forgot Joey or the other children? Loser!

Did I meet all of my children’s needs every day? Loser!

Was I present with a nonjudgmental, listening ear every time they needed me? Loser!

Did I have homemade goodies waiting for them every day after school? Loser!

Did they get to go to everything they wanted? Loser!

Did I make sure they had every latest fashion, newest gadget, and coolest game available? Loser!

Was I happy and engaged every minute of our time together, and were they? Loser!

Was their favorite shirt laundered and ready to wear every time they wanted it? Loser!

I failed miserably!  Of course, there is no way I could do all of those things every day (even if I should). But that didn’t stop me from beating myself up. I scored an F-plus—on my best day!

Once again I came up a loser!

Not in God’s Sight

But not in God’s sight!

The Father reminded me later in the day that through His eyes, I am a princess, His princess—pure in His sight—all by the shed blood of Jesus the Lamb! All by grace!

Through His Word, He pointed out that measuring up is the epitome of lies (Romans 3:23). I can never do enough, say enough, or pray enough. I can never be enough!

But the beauty of being a daughter of the living God is that I don’t have to. I don’t have to be the perfect mother, wife, daughter, or employee.

In Christ, I can claim the promise of justification through faith. I am righteous in God’s sight, cleansed and forgiven. I am holy because God is Holy!

It is His gift, not something I’ve earned—not something I could ever hope to earn.

I am blameless and beyond reproach because Jesus Christ died on the cross for me (and you)!

Maybe I’m not such a loser after all …

In fact, in Christ, I am always a winner!

We can never be enough! There will always something we'll fail at. But in Christ, we're always winners! Click To Tweet

“Yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach” (Colossians 1:22, NASB).

Reflections: Are there things in your life that place you in the “Loser” club? I challenge you to renounce the club. Lay those degrading thoughts at the foot of the cross today. Claim your inheritance through Christ! Be a winner as a child of God!