Okay, here’s the truth, for most of my teenage years I tried to ignore God. Why? Because even though I’d grown up going to church, I wasn’t living as I should. And if I thought about God I’d think about how disappointing (and downright sinful) I was. So it was easier to pretend that God wasn’t there and that he didn’t care.

That worked until I found myself in a dark pit. And when I was desperate, I dared to look up. My hope in God’s compassion started with the compassion I received from others. You see, my mother and grandmother’ Bible Study group reached out to me, even though I was seventeen and pregnant. They visited me and reached out to me. They invited me to lunch. They gave me a baby shower. Because of their compassion I dared to trust in God’s compassion, too.

Daring to hope, I prayed, “God, I screwed up big time. If you can do anything with my life, please do.” That one prayer was centered on trust. Trust that God was there, and he did care.

How do we accept God’s compassion as moms?

1. We accept God’s compassion when we understand that God’s forgiveness is bigger than our sin. Whatever we’ve done it’s not too big for God.

2. We believe all of God’s Word to be true. Sometimes it’s easier to focus on the verses about the rules, instead of the passages about relationship. Yet Psalm 116:5 says, “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate,” (NASB).

3. We understand God’s compassion is part of his strength. God doesn’t give us compassion, mercy and forgiveness because he is weak. His strength allows him to come to us again and again, even when we mess up. His divine character reaches into the hard places of everyday life for those who are needy.

It’s also important to teach our children about God’s compassion. How do we do this? By offering ours.

1. We need to forgive our kids often. When they mess up we need to let them know their mistakes are not bigger than our love.

2. We need to share Scriptures of hope and love with our children, reminding them that the whole point of the Bible is God’s journey to bring us into a relationship with himself.

3. We need to pray with our children in times of need and together seek help from a compassionate God. As we teach our children to be good, be kind, and be obedient, we can also teach them to pray and seek God’s help in these areas.

We also need to remember that our children are watching how we relate to God. When they see us seeking God’s compassion they will learn to do the same.

And, frankly, that’s a model that will benefit them for life.