While motherhood shines a spotlight on our sin, it is not outside God’s perfect plan for us. In fact, these sins we notice, we notice them because the Spirit is at work revealing those sins to us. While God uses all areas of our life in our sanctification—work, relationships, suffering, and more—motherhood is another area he uses to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

I don’t know about you, but when I was expecting my first child and thinking about what motherhood would be like, I didn’t factor in the problem of sin and what its impact would be on my mothering. Before I became a mom, I pictured motherhood to be like the sweet mother and baby interactions I saw on baby shampoo commercials. I imagined cuddles, smiles, laughter, and fun memories. When I daydreamed about motherhood, I pictured myself instructing with wisdom, responding with patience, and always handing out smiles. And while there are certainly plenty of smiles, cuddles, and laughter, there is also the problem of sin.

Motherhood Reveals What’s Already There

Unlike hard and difficult jobs I’ve had before, motherhood is all consuming. It consumes energy, time, emotions, wisdom, and everything else. It’s a 24/7 job, without any breaks, holidays, or vacations. It challenges us in our weakest areas. It reveals our insufficiencies. It shows us just how much we don’t know and how incapable we really are.

And, it seems to spotlight sin in our heart, magnifying it so that we see the depths of our sin in ways we’ve never noticed before.

It’s not as though motherhood makes us more of a sinner. Rather, areas of sin we didn’t realize we had are brought to the surface. Sinful habits and patterns are brought to light that may have once been in the shadows.

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