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For When Being a Mom is Just Hard

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Being a mom is just hard.

Having a newborn who sleeps during the day and wants to stay awake at night is hard. Having a toddler who is into everything is hard. Having a preschooler who doesn’t care that it was supposed to only be the “terrible two’s” is hard. Dealing with fighting elementary age kids is hard. Having preteens and teens with major hormone changes is hard…

We all fit in there somewhere and, no matter how good at being a mom you are, it is hard.

This isn’t about wallowing in pity for yourself or not being grateful for what you have but rather being okay with admitting that your job is challenging. Being a mom takes work day in and day out and it’s hard work.

But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong.

It can feel like your world is falling apart one moment when you’re tired and the laundry is piled high and the kids are running circles around you with boys being boys (all rough and tough) and girls being girls (all “watch me mommy.”). Or how about when your daughter hits your son (for the fourth time)? Or your teen gives in to peer pressure? Or your toddler peed on the floor (again!)? Or your baby just won’t stop crying?

They feel like failure moments don’t they? They rise up and dump on you with waves of failure.

But in the midst of all this hard stuff you are learning. You are growing. Your kids are learning and their little hearts are on display for you to see.

These aren’t failure moments. They are just the hard moments that need the good mom in you to rise up and meet them.

You are a good mom and you are anointed for the task of mothering. The calling, the anointing, is for the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. It’s okay that it’s hard. It’s okay that you don’t have all the answers. It’s okay that there are moments when you feel like you have messed it all up.

You haven’t.

These are the moments, these desperate moments, when we need to hide. Not under a rock but under the shadow of the Almighty. Hide yourself under His wings and let Him have all of the hard of your day.

God takes hard, difficult, and trying and trades them for wisdom to know how to rise up and meet them. He takes weakness and turns it to strength. He shines a light on the hearts of our children in hopes that we will run to Him for the answers, for the strength, for the tools to carry on.

So, take a deep breath and don’t listen to the lies of failure when this mothering job is hard. Just run to your great God and listen for His “I’ve got you girl.” He knows it’s hard and He’ll supply you with grace, peace, strength, wisdom, joy and rest.

What’s the most difficult mothering challenge you are facing these days?  How can we pray for you as you seek strength for the journey?

 

Comments

  1. Your last paragraph is so perfect Kristen! lies of failure…they are lies! And God does have our back. My only child is now 25 and there are still hard mothering days, but your post is reassuring. Thank you.

    • Thank you Mary! It never stops does it? That is why we have to run the race with endurance. I am thankful for women like you that have gone before and can encourage those of us who are behind in the journey. Blessings, Kristin

  2. I love your “battle cry” posts, Kristen. Encouraging moms to FIGHT BACK against the lies. I definitely feel I am “ruining my kids” on the days where things are less than. Thanks for lifting up a weary mama today and challenging me to press on!

    • Thank you Christie! You are such an encourager. I love that we can remind each other of truth and encourage each other to press on. We each need our own personal mommy cheering section! Blessings, Kristin

  3. Oh I needed this today. My 17 month old baby boy still doesn’t sleep through the night. He only wakes up once but he also gets up by 5/5:30 most days. I don’t think I’ve gone through a full sleep cycle since I was pregnant LOL thankfully my 4y.o. DD sleeps late 🙂
    Thank you for this post!

    • Hi Katrina, I remember those days well. Praying that you have opportunities for rest and refreshing as you do the hard job of mothering. Blessings, Kristin

  4. Thank you, dear lady. I needed this today. In the stepping on the crayons moments, in the piles of bills moments, in the too-many-to-dos moments…thank you.

    • You are so welcome. I wrote this out of my own moments just like that. Praying that we get a greater glimpse of the grace that covers mothering. Blessings friend, Kristin

  5. “no matter how good at being a mom you are, it is hard.” TRUTH! I am challenged to be consistent in my rules.

    • Yes Diane, consistency is key and I need constant reminders of that. So glad we can all do this mothering thing together and encourage one another. Blessings, Kristin

  7. I always struggle with anger. Those “Why can’t you just clean up when I ask?” or “Why aren’t your shoes one yet?” type moments almost always cause me to blow my lid. 🙁 God’s working in this area, but it’s not easy!

    • It isn’t easy is it? But God will be faithful. I have struggles in the same area (think many of us do) but I have seen God do an amazing work in my heart so be encouraged that He is working on your behalf. Blessings, Kristin

  8. It’s always good to know we’re not alone in this fight for our kids. At the end of a hard day (always stinks to be the mom when you’re the one that’s sick – and everyone else has energy to burn) it’s just good to know that this too shall pass!

  9. You know, this is not what I expected of this blog post. I expected the “pat-you-on-the-back-and-cheer-up” type of post that would leave me feeling better, but not whole. And I was pleasantly surprised, in fact to the point of tears, when I read the last part about God giving us strength in these moments, because, I had completely forgotten His presence while in the midst of my mothering meltdown (if you can believe it). I get so completely wrapped up in the moment of “I’m such a failure, I stink at this!” and the guilt for feeling that way, that I forget about anything apart from my own suffering. So, reading this reminded me that I’m not alone in any of this and it truly made me cry tears of joy in remembering I can *always* count on God for strength. Always. Thank you very much for writing this.

  10. I’m a new mom. I have a 7 month old boy. He was a honeymoon baby! My husband and I are so blessed by our baby boy and love him to pieces. I stumbled upon this post while looking for encouragement because today was just…Hard. This post really made me feel better. I keep waiting for it to get easy. I’m realizing that it is always hard and I need to find strength, peace, rest etc in God.

  11. Thank you for the wise words! I needed this right now…yes, the evening before that wonderful holiday we hope to love each year. I, too, am in tears, as I realize that I put too little faith in the Lord and too much reliance on me! SOOOO grateful for my precious, God-filled mother!

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