# 38 Worry: The Companion of Mothers

The Book of Genesis Day 38 Ge 3:16 To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." Now God passes judgment on Eve, and this judgment has been experienced by all women ever since the fall. Men do not experience the pain of childbirth. Men know nothing of the labor of bringing forth a child. But there is more going on here than birth pangs! First of all, God promises Eve that she will have many children, (multiplied conceptions) and these children will be the source of “multiplied sorrow”. The word “sorrow” here, literally means “worrisomeness.” This is a maternal curse for all time! Mothers worry about their children, and the more children they have, the more they will worry. Fathers worry about their children too, but not in the same way that the mother does. There is not one area of that child’s life that doesn’t cause the mother to worry. She worries from conception on about her child, and that child’s future. Think about the worries of Eve as she saw the potential for conflict between Cain and Abel. How she must have worried about Cain as he was sent packing by God after slaying his brother. Think about Mary, the mother of Jesus and all the worries she had concerning Jesus. It’s interesting to note that the King James version of the Bible says, “ I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;” “Sorrow” shows up twice here. This is significant in that it shows the depth of worry that the mother carries in her heart for her children. Her worries (first use of the word sorrow) are as sharp and as real as the physical pangs (second use of the word “sorrow”) of childbirth itself! Fathers and husbands would do well to remember the depth of the worries of the mother regarding her children, and learn to respond accordingly. These “pangs” of worries of motherhood drive mothers to their knees to pray for their children. They look to the Lord, pleading for their children on every occasion. I remember a song by Phillips, Craig, and Dean that came out in 1992, and the chorus went like this: Mama liked to burn the midnight oil down on her knees in prayer If you asked her why she did it, she said she did it because she cared. Now mama always talked to Jesus , when she knelt by her rocking chair Oh I’m glad my mama was willin’, to burn the midnight oil in prayer. Mothers worry! It is their lot, but God has provided the gift of prayer to help all mothers for all time. Ps 55:22 says, “ Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Reflect: Here’s a classic line that speaks of the maternal curse of worry. “Be sure to put on clean underwear in case you’re in an accident.” What kind of things did your mother say to you, that speak of her worries? If you are a mother, what kind of things do you worry about for your children. If not yet a parent, what kind of things do you think you would worry about for your children? Do you beat yourself up over your constant worrying or do you embrace God’s advice for dealing with it? (See Ps 55:22, 1 Pet 5:7) Pray: Father, thank You for Your help in dealing with our anxieties for our children. Let us learn to pray for our children knowing that You love them even more than we do!