One of the scariest parts of being a mom was knowing I couldn’t give my three daughters everything they needed.
I don’t mean clothes or the newest gadgets. I was pretty sure I could manage a reasonable amount of that.
But I knew I didn’t have enough wisdom or strength to be the kind of mom my girls needed.
When your strength is small
Some seasons I was so physically tired and emotionally drained, even basic meals and laundry took every ounce of strength I could muster. My girls still needed plenty of encouragement, advice, and instruction, and some days every bit of it felt like a stretch.
All three of my daughters were different. One was a people person, another sensitive and quiet, and still another was cautious and introspective. I constantly battled the impulse to treat them all the same.
Like most families, we dealt with typical dilemmas like classroom drama and how to follow the rules. In retrospect I did the best I could, but I always second-guessed my efforts. I couldn’t admit it to my children, but I knew I wasn’t everything they needed me to be.
But here’s something else I knew:
“God will supply all your needs according to the riches of His glory”
When you feel like a failure as a mom, remember the source of all you need
There was absolutely nothing my kids needed that God couldn’t provide for. He had it all. Emotionally, materially, and spiritually. And He was willing to give it to me.
God is never too tired. He’s never emotionally drained. And there’s nothing He doesn’t have enough of. He has all the wisdom, guidance, and healing we need.
If you feel hopeless or overwhelmed, find comfort in the truth that God’s love is without measure, and His riches are unspeakably vast. The best news of all is, He’s willing to give us everything we need.
No matter what you need, you can ask God to give it to you.
WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE A FAILURE AS A MOM, HERE ARE 3 POWERFUL STEPS TO TAKE:
1. Admit you don’t have what it takes.
As moms, we feel the pressure to always have it together. After all, our beloveds are depending on us. But we don’t have to fake it with God. He knows.
One of the most powerful things we can do is admit to God that we need His help. In fact, I believe the prayer He loves most is simply “Help me.”
2. Pray.
The Bible tells us to “pray constantly” (1Thessalonians 5:17, HCSB). When you feel like a failure as a mom, ask God to help you. He always hears us when we pray. And sometimes He answers in ways we least expect.
I have a downloadable prayer planner in my free resource library I’d love to give you. It’ll help you be intentional about your prayer time and will help you organize your thoughts.
3. Be the child.
I know that sounds strange. No parent can afford to be childish. Except when it comes to finding the source of all the wisdom and strength we need.
As a mom, my best days came from trusting God with my daughters. That means I prayed for them, used the Scriptures to guide me, and asked Him constantly for the wisdom I needed.
On my most overwhelming days, I envisioned myself in his arms, just like the psalmist pictured:
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself like a little weaned child with its mother; I am like a little child.
Psalm 131:2
In the arms of God, we don’t have to fret. He knows what we need, and He’s willing to give it to us. All we have to do is trust Him.
