3 Life Lessons from Mary: Believe, Treasure, Let Go

Mary was favored by God for the important task of giving birth to, loving, and nurturing Jesus. And along with her husband, Joseph, Mary allowed Jesus to increase in wisdom, in stature and in favor with God and other people (Luke 2:52).

Three acts of Jesus’ mother Mary stand out as crucial to a healthy life –

• First, she humbly believed God, even in the face of an outrageous promise that she would conceive a child while remaining a virgin (Luke 1:30).
• Second, as she watched the boy Jesus grow up, she “treasured” special moments in her heart (Luke 2:19, 51).
• Third, when things happened that she didn’t understand, she let them go into God’s will (Luke 1:35-38; 2:41 – 52).

How often we can stumble in all three areas. God has offered us many promises in the Bible, yet we sometimes find it so difficult to believe he means what he says. Or when something good happens in our lives, rather than treasure and celebrate it, we tend to dismiss it with negative self-talk. Or when life throws us a curve ball, we blame others or God and ask, “Why me?” instead of “going with the flow” and trusting God’s good purposes.

Mary’s simple, open acceptance of God’s will serves as a model for all of us who think we can control our own lives. And her willingness to let go and entrust the growth of her son to God provides an example for all of us who are parents. God is in charge. He wants good things for his children. And that includes us.

PRAYER:

Lord, give me the openness to accept your will and the courage to let go of the things I don’t understand.

By Melinda Fish from an article in the NIV Recovery Devotional Bible.