Press On, Weary Mama
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Mothering is hard, exhausting work. And that’s on a good day! There comes a season for every mother when she is tempted to throw in the towel (if only she could find a clean one, as Crystal Paine likes to say), when she genuinely wonders whether her failures as a mother can possibly be redeemed.
Dark Days of Mothering
When your babies are little, it’s almost impossible to fathom the potential conflicts that lay ahead. No one tells you how your limited strength will be tested to the core, how your children will sometimes annoy and frustrate the living daylights out of you, how cosmic spiritual battles will be fought in your home as sin nature–including your own–rears its ugly head.
There were some really dark days of mothering, days when I wanted to run away like I’ve never wanted to before. Days when I feared relationships had been damaged beyond all hopes of repair. Days when I struggled to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
While we’re not completely out of the woods just yet, we’re seeing big improvements. We’ve turned a significant corner, one that I may write about in more detail someday…
A Time of Reaping
Today, I want to share a glimpse of encouragement that spoke to my weary mama’s heart and gave me strength to keep on keeping on during this hard season of mothering.
Because there are hard days, and hard seasons, and then there is the day when your nine year old son goes outside to draw in his nature journal–a daily part of our homeschooling–and when he is finished, he hands you a detailed drawing of a blade of grass. And he has written “O my God, how wonderful you are!” Along with “One of 1,000,000,000’s”.
And it caused him to declare “O how wonderful you are!” and he called Him “my God”. And he didn’t simply feel the wonder–he recorded it right there on the page. All this, completely unprompted by his weary mama.
And he spelled it all correctly! Except for wonderful–he left that blank for my assistance.
For me, it was a time of reaping. Reaping the harvest of failing to grow weary in doing the good–and hard–work of motherhood.
Because there are hard days–hard seasons–and then there are the days when God gives you a glimpse of the harvest to come. And it encourages you to keep on keeping on, weary mama, pressing ahead in this good work of mothering.
Do Not Grow Weary
So do not grow weary, mamas, in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up. (Gal. 6:9)
- Do not grow weary in praying for your children, even when you see no improvement.
- Do not grow weary in correcting bad attitudes, even when they seem to pay no attention.
- Do not grow weary in sowing God’s word in their hearts, even when it doesn’t seem to be taking root.
- Do not grow weary in training good habits, even when bad habits persist.
- Do not grow weary in making your home a haven, even when the task seems overwhelming.
- Do not grow weary in nourishing their bodies with good food, even when they complain about what’s for dinner.
- Do not grow weary in encouraging loving relationships, even when it seems they fight all day long.
- Do not grow weary in noticing your children’s God-given gifts, even when you have to look hard to find them.
- Do not grow weary in listening to their stories and questions and jokes, even when you have a million other things to do.
- Do not grow weary in hugging and kissing them, even if they’re boys and they push you away.
- Do not grow weary in reminding them of the gospel, even when they’ve heard it many times before.
- Do not grow weary in asking their forgiveness, even when you feel undeserving.
- Do not grow weary in tucking them in each night with love, even (and especially) on the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.
Press on, weary mama. The harvest is coming!
Have you struggled through a dark season of motherhood recently? How has God encouraged you through it?
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I want to respond to your entry today. You have given me encouragement. I was a single mother of one boy and worked, while it was hard I continued to trust God. Now I have a nine year old special needs grandson (I happily have custody of) that I am raising. His mother recently walked off and left him because she could not handle it. The dad (my son) is still around but works most of the time. Malachi (my grandson) is having so many behavioral issues along with the after surgery issues (bladder augmentation) that it has tested me. I continue to go to work each day and I grow wearier as I move forward. I was thinking just the other day I want to run away. I need only to look at his beautiful smile and trust in God to remember I have a purpose. Thank you for this heart touching post. Diana
What a courageous grand-mama you are, Diana. I am praying for you–press on!
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:28-31)
Amen and Amen, Sister!!! We truly have no idea all that goes on in the heavenly realms! Keep on loving, enjoying, nurturing and pouring God’s love and His Word into them. We obey Him and do what we are called to do lovingly raising these precious children–He will do the good work in their hearts–even if we can’t see it at the time we want to see it! 🙂 It is just like the Lord to give you that beautiful encouragement from your son!! What a great decision , too, to take a break from blogging this summer to focus on your priorities–well done–even though I missed your blog!!
I love the nature journal entries!! We homeschooled when our boys were younger and I loved our nature journals. Some of my favorite times were outside delighting in God’s beautiful creation and seeing our boys also delight in it and in Him! And they still do! Those were special times. I also had our boys keep a copywork book of just Scripture passages that they copied and illustrated. Now they are teenagers and I TREASURE those Scripture copy work journals!!!
Your hard work will be rewarded!! Blessings to you and your family! liz in PA
You are right–HE will do the good work in their hearts. Sometimes I try to do it myself…that’s when I get in trouble. 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement, Liz! 🙂
What a wonderful world it would be if all parents felt the deep love and responsibility for their children that you do. What a gift your children have been given (and clearly, you recognize what a gift they are to you). Thank you for your inspiration, encouragement and the reminder to step back once in a while and take stock!
Kris, sometimes we all (including myself!) need to be reminded that our children are gifts. It can be hard to remember during hard seasons! Thanks for your kind words! 🙂
Keep up the good work, positive attitude and faith. Will be praying for strength for you. Have a blessed weekend.
Thanks! 🙂