My friend, Elizabeth, is on my launch team for Lies Moms Believe and graciously opened up her blog for me to share my heart on the topic of how the truths of God’s Word help us along during the hard days of motherhood. I hope you’re encouraged!
No one can fully prepare you for the challenging nature of motherhood. I may have babysat all during my teen years and been a nanny up until the day before I went into labor with my firstborn, but even that life didn’t truly prepare me for the 24/7/365 sacrifices, questions, and struggles which come with being a mom. Some mamas experience these new challenges and are broken by them, believing themselves to have no other choice but to fall prey to the hardship, becoming victims in the process.
As a follower of God, however, I believe there is a better way. There is another choice offered to us. There is abundant life (see John 10:10b) available for even the most sleep-deprived, overwhelmed mama. Yet we go around acting as if our only option is to allow Satan to steal, kill, and destroy our joy, our strength, and our very life itself (John 10:10a). This should not be!
Encouragement for the Weary Mama
In Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) I set out with the mission to show mamas just how applicable the truth of God’s Word is to each and every struggle they face in motherhood. When it comes to the hard days we all face as moms, the Word proves itself to be helpful and relevant in many beautiful ways:
- Because of God’s grace and His great redeeming power, “hard” no longer has to mean “bad”.
We live in a fallen, sin-cursed world plagued by sadness, selfishness, hardship, and heartache. We all go through times of trial and seasons where we feel overwhelmed and downtrodden. But, by God’s grace, our story doesn’t have to end there! Contrary to what our culture might tell you, just because “hard” does not equal “fun” or “easy” does not mean it has to equal “bad”. “Hard” does not mean “bad” in the Christian worldview. Our gracious God promises in Joel 2:25 to restore the years the locusts have eaten. We are told in Romans 8:28 that we can know without a doubt that no matter what we face, all things will work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.
As if that weren’t helpful enough for changing our perspective of those hard seasons, James then tells us: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).” Did you catch that? We can glory in the trials we face in motherhood, we can count it all joy when we experience the questions and struggles which arise and test our faith. Our God is in the redeeming business; He will take our every trial and use them to perfect and complete us. Yes, even those sleepless nights you feel to be pointless and the bane of your existence! Our God can redeem even those.
To read the rest, head on over to Elizabeth’s blog!
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If you could use more encouragement for your journey of motherhood, I invite you to join me for my free 7 Day email course, Mothering by the Book: God’s Design for Motherhood. Sign up here and also receive a discount on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them!) as a little gift of congratulations for completing the course!
I’ve so enjoyed having you over at my blog this week! Your post was so encouraging and I hope others find it encouraging too!