READ: PSALMS 68:4-6; 139:13-18; ISAIAH 49:15; 1 JOHN 3:1

Mother’s Day is not a simple holiday for everyone. Maybe your mom is kind and caring and you have a wonderful relationship with her. If so, that’s great! Praise God! But for some, Mother’s Day comes with a lot of hurt.

Maybe you lost your mom when you were young, and you don’t celebrate Mother’s Day because you’re always reminded of your loss on that day. Or maybe you never had a good relationship with your mom. She’s not the kind and loving person most people think of when they imagine a good mom, so it doesn’t feel right to celebrate her.

Different people have different reasons why Mother’s Day is difficult for them, but whether you dread or look forward to the holiday, one thing is the same for everyone: We have a God who loves us more than any mother ever could.

We may all have different experiences when it comes to our mothers. Things may not be perfect in that relationship. But we have a God who cares for us and wants to meet our needs, like a caring mom would. We have a God who is always keeping an eye on us and who loves us more than we will ever know.

So, no matter how things are with your mom this Mother’s Day, know that you have God too. He will always love you and care for you. • Bethany Acker

• Is Mother’s Day a struggle for you or someone you know? God sees our pain, and He weeps with us. He designed the relationship between a mom and her child to be full of life and love, and it grieves His heart whenever that relationship is broken by the sin that invaded His good creation. That’s why Jesus came—He cares for us so much that He gave the ultimate expression of love. Jesus sacrificed His own life to save us and bring us near to God. And after Jesus rose from the dead, He promised that He would make all things new, including our bodies and our relationships. As we wait for this glorious day, we can know that Jesus will never leave us. He sits beside us in our hurt and frustration and longing, and He promises to help us heal. Consider taking some time to pray—you can talk to God about your own relationship with your mom, or you could pray for someone in your life who might be hurting this Mother’s Day.

• Are there any moms or mother figures in your life who’ve shown God’s love to you? Consider taking a moment to thank God for them, and maybe thank the person/people too!

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. 1 John 4:16 (NIV)