Mothers…have you ever suffered with anxiety and depression? If you’re living, then it’s almost unavoidable to not deal with even a small amount at some point and time in your life. Do you think Mary, Jesus’ mother, ever suffered with these?
The Bible does not say this….but, If I had to speculate how Mary felt, I would guess that she probably suffered with anxiety and depression, at some level, from day one that she found out she was to conceive the Savior of the whole world until the crucifixion of her precious Son.
The main reason I can say, with great certainty, that she struggled with these feelings during her lifetime, is because she lost her Son to death. I, too, have walked in the shoes of a mother that has lost a child. Depression doesn’t even begin to describe all of the feelings and emotions I felt when I lost my little girl.
Have you ever considered what it would have been like to be Mary? There are many things that she encountered that I wonder how I would’ve felt, had I been in her shoes. For the sake of brevity, I would like to focus on the birth and death of her child…aka our Savior and Lord. I can’t imagine how she must have felt being a young girl, a virgin approx.. 14 years old, and being visited by an angel of God who informed her that she would conceive a child and His name would be called Jesus, and He would be the Son of the Highest. Ok…is it just me, or would anyone else have a hundred questions for that angel??
Well, as we all know, Mary did conceive, just as it was prophesied, and bore Jesus. Later on in the story, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple to be presented to the Lord by a man named Simeon, who was led by the Holy Spirit. He took the Child Jesus and praised God, as he presented Him. And then…..listen to what he had to say to Mary!
Luke 2:34-35 says, 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
WOW! What powerful and painful words that must have been for Mary to hear about her precious baby boy! And to hear that a sword would pierce through her soul also, had to be alarming.
The Bible doesn’t say how much Mary knew or understood about what the angel told her. It says in Luke 2:51b…but His mother kept all these things in her heart. Once again, Mary must have had many questions concerning all the things that had been told to her and that had been prophesied about her baby boy (by many people). Although she didn’t inquire, nor voice her concerns, undoubtedly, there were many.
As Mary held all of these thoughts and feelings inside, I wonder if the pain seemed like someone was stabbing her in the heart repeatedly with a sharp sword…or was she struggling to breathe?! Anyone who is a mother knows that it’s difficult to hear, or see, anything negative that involves our child/children.
Mary knew all that had been prophesied about Jesus before He was even born. She knew of the foretold King/Savior that was to come. But I wonder if she ever truly realized how painful it all would be? Having to watch the baby, she once swaddled in her arms, being tormented right in front of her eyes! I am a mother and I can say, without one doubt, that she experienced excruciating pain, mentally, physically, and emotionally. To watch or know that your child is getting tortured??? I cannot imagine…My mama heart hurts for my children even if it’s just a stumped toe.
When we think of Mary, let us not only be reminded of how special she was that God chose her to 1. Bear His only Son, the Savior of the world, to be His earthly mother…but also to 2. Lose a child that she had bore after carrying Him in her womb and mothering Him during His life on earth. God chose her even though He knew there would be challenges, trials and tribulations (including anxiety, depression, mental pain & anguish), that she would have to endure because she was His mother.
We sometimes wonder why God allows bad things to happen to good people. God has a plan and a purpose for each of our lives. We know that He had to choose someone so that the purpose of Jesus coming to earth, to save lost sinners, could be fulfilled. We also must endure trials and tribulations during our lives, in this sinful world we are living in, as Mary did. But, the Bible says in Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
I may never know why God chose to take my little girl to be with Him, after blessing us with her for 8 1/2 yrs. on this earth. But I choose to rest in His promises and trust in His word and know that He has a purpose for my life and He had a purpose for Laken’s life. I pray for God’s blessings on every mother that has had to endure the death of their child. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. Psalm 119:50