Motherhood is hard!

When we bear it alone, sometimes it all gets to be too much.

Let's back up a little bit first... life is hard!  Relationships are hard!  Marriage is hard work... to have a good one, otherwise it's just hard!  Homemaking is hard work!  Mothering, on top of it all, is hard work!

And let's not forget to add to this the swishy swashy hormones that seem to constantly batter us up one side and down the other.  Regular hormone fluctuation, pregnancy hormones, postpartum hormones.  Then there is the constantly disrupted sleep of life with littles (or bigs).  The dreariness of winter.  And if you have a medical problem of some kind on top of it all.  Forget about it!  It's hard!

Sometimes it's just too hard.  And if you've got unsupportive friends and family (or even husband) around telling you what a bad job you're doing, you may just be ready to give up.  And many have.  Many women give up in self indulgence, in abandonment, in depression, or even in suicide.

But you see, whether you asked to be in the position you're in or not (house you live in, medical condition, number of children, etc), you are in it.  God, in his infinite wisdom, has placed you right where you are.  It's your job.  Your responsibility.  And it's going to be work... hard work!

Am I trying to make you feel worse?  No.  Because there is good news in all this...

God's grace is sufficient!  For His power is made perfect in your weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

So often we hear people say that God will not give us more than we can handle.  But perhaps that isn't a true statement.  Perhaps what we need to hear and remember is that God won't ever give us more than He can handle!  For those of us who know and trust Him, He has said that He will never leave us or forsake us! (Hebrews 13:5)

Do you know Him today?  Have you trusted Christ for your forgiveness and salvation?  Then you are not alone.  You can do this through His strength!  He promised a Helper.

But first, we need to seek His help.  We need to remember that we cannot, were never intended to, do this on our own. 

Are you struggling sister?  Are you buried in depression?  Hopelessness?  Being beaten down by those around you... by your own thoughts?

Today I am going to give you the first step. 

Seek Him!

Don't fret over the laundry list of failures, the insults, the overwhelming responsibilities.

Seek Him!

Whether you are curled up on the couch ignoring responsibilities (or at the computer as I often find myself), or just going through the motions of wiping one more nose, or hiding in your bed unable to make yourself move... wherever you are, whatever your ability today...

Seek Him!

No one can do this for you.  No one can pull you out of this pit you are in.  Not councilors, not friends, not your husband.  No one can help you until you decide to help yourself.

Where do you start?  Pray.  Start small if you have to.  Talk to Him.  Tell Him your heart, your hurts, your insecurities.

Still don't know?  Begin in worship. 

Prayer isn't coming?  Open your Bible.  Genesis 1 is a great place to remember just Who He Is!  If He can do all that, what can't He do?  Or maybe the Psalms.  David struggled more than once... but he didn't stay in it.  He brought it to God and many Psalms are the result of that time of intimacy with God.

And keep seeking Him.  Every moment you feel the darkness coming on, open your heart to Him.  Pray.  Pray.  And keep praying.  Can't sleep?  Pray.  

Again, no one can make you do this... but you have to start here.  The only alternative is to remain forever where you are.  Seek Him!  You're going to need it before I tell you about step 2!


Other posts in this series:
Part 2 ~ If you do what is right
Part 3 ~ In Which I am Harsh
Part 4 ~ The Next Step

Labels: Depression, Home Making, Life Lessons for Mommy, Mommy's Tool Box

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 3:36 PM