You may have heard it said that God only gives special children to special parents. But, when God made the mother of a child who has special needs, the Lord did not need a special mother, the Lord needed a mother who was willing.
God needed a woman who would say yes to an assignment that many choose not to accept. The Lord knew she wouldn’t feel qualified to raise a child with special needs, but that didn’t matter because God would equip her every step of the way.
Since there is no such thing as a perfect mother, the Lord didn’t waste any time searching for one. So, God made the mother of a child who has special needs just as the Lord makes all mothers—through the joys, trials, and tribulations of motherhood. God needed a woman would who would trust him enough to put her faith over her fears. The Lord needed a mother willing to be stretched beyond what she was capable of . . . and then stretched a little more.
God needed a mother who would let go of her own ideas of a perfect life and the perfect family and receive the new life God was giving her.
God knew this journey would likely include lots of medical appointments, therapies, and many missed milestones, but God had many treasures for her to discover too. God did not need this mother to have remarkable faith because the Lord knew her faith would grow each time she stepped out with trust. No, the Lord didn’t need a perfect woman. When God made the mother of a child who has special needs, God needed a willing servant—a woman who was after his own heart.
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You may have heard it said that mothers of children with special needs are “saints” for doing God’s “special” work. But the truth is, the Lord did not intend for mothers of children with special needs to be elevated to sainthood by her peers, nor did God want her to be pitied for this role. God wanted to break down these misconceptions about disability being a cross to bear, and the Lord needed a mother who would let His glory be shown through the lives of her and her child.
God intended to help this mother see how perfectionism and self-sufficiency keep us from finding our identity and self-worth in God. As she lived out the truth that we are all equal and beloved by God, regardless of our abilities, the mother of a child with special needs would bring change to the world around her and healing to her own soul too.
When God made the mother of a child with a disability, the Lord spoke life over her and her child, saying “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” The Lord knew she might not understand what those plans were for many years, perhaps not even on this side of Heaven. The Lord knew this mother would have questions and doubts, especially when her heart was shattered over and over again by the way her culture rejected people with disabilities.
God knew she would fight hard for her child’s right to be included, as any good mother would do.
When God made the mother of a child with special needs, the Lord wanted an advocate—someone who would speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and in doing so, would help bring forth the kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven.
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Over the years, the Lord would press upon the mother of a child with special needs that when she was weak, the Lord was strong. In time, God knew she would appreciate the doors that had closed in her life and would even give thanks for the difficulties that made her into the woman she became.
God knows a mother’s heart is a very vulnerable place and that’s why it is fertile ground for faith to grow. So, when God made the mother of a child with special needs, the Lord was offering her a greater opportunity to trust and lean closer to him, if she is willing.