The Quest for Joy in Motherhood

Sometimes us moms (whether we work in our home, out of the home, or “stay at home”) feel as if we never get a break. Maybe it’s because we don’t. Our plates are full. Our kids need us…all the time. And it doesn’t matter if we’re raising toddlers or teenagers, we often find ourselves falling into bed at night with a plea for more of God and less of us. And then we sleep. Sun rises, start over.

Isn’t it easy for our days to be dictated by the number of tantrums we had to endure? Or whether our son/daughter showed respect and kindness to us that day? As moms it is so easy to get caught in the current of either “keeping up with the Joneses” or trying so hard to “create” a godly home, that we lose sight. Like REALLY lose sight.

We forget about the well that Jesus sat next to, with a broken, tired woman, when he said ONLY ME.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13, 14 NIV)

We forget about the difference between happiness and joy. Oh do we ever.

Happiness is what fluctuates with our kids’ moods and if we planned ahead for dinner that night. Happiness may surface when school or homework time was completed without opposition and disarray.

But Joy. God’s word has so much to say about joy. It is promised to us. And it is not found in our circumstances. But we “know that,” don’t we…? I find myself on a quest for joy, when the truth is that I lack it only when I have lost sight. And I lose sight when I care too much about myself and my performance. I lose sight when I trust in myself and not my God. And something fantastic that grabs me about the word JOY, is that when God’s word talks about it, we can observe that joy comes a result of us connecting back to Jesus. When we have made that effort not to lose sight.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love…I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:10, 11 NIV)

We have a big job, a HUGE job as parents. We have many little sets of eyes watching us each day. And that’s a big part to play when we are tired and often on a “quest for joy.” And yes, many days we fall into bed at night fully aware that we do fall short in our jobs. Don’t lose sight of Jesus. Remain in Him. Trust big. Be faithful in prayer.

Deep joy is promised and our tasks as moms look different when we realize we have to have Jesus first.

Blessings,

Libby Snow