Do you ever feel tired and worn out as a mom, pulled in many directions?
Do you ever feel as if tiny (or maybe big) creatures are draining the very life out of you?
I do. Motherhood is hard. It is a life of service.
This past weekend I started to feel quite drained. I walked into church with my daughters, while my husband was still at camp with our boys and the boys’ groups from church. During half of our worship service, which is about an hour long, I held my four year old daughter, sometimes feeling like the strength was being zapped out of me. After worship, I took her to her class. She was very needy and wanted me to stay in the class. Even though I told her I would stay for a minute to make sure she was settled, she wanted more. Long story short, I took her back upstairs with me for the duration of the sermon, another hour and twenty minutes.
During the sermon, I was juggling her. She wasn’t being naughty, but for a while I had that feeling again of someone zapping the life out of me…. needing me continually, fidgeting, wanting, and holding me.
My pastor got to John 10:17-18, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me.
Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of Myself.”
Jesus laid down His life for me, for us. He did it willingly. No one took it from Him. He chose to give it, freely!
Forgive me, Lord.
I want to cheerfully and willingly lay my life down for my children, for my family, for my husband, for my home.
Jesus said, “I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”
That is true for us.
We have the power to lay down our lives, embrace the calling God gives us, and then take up our lives with that fullness.
God, help us to lay our lives down for our families. Help us not to be selfish. Help us to have cheerful, willing, and generous hearts. Amen.
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