Daily Dwelling

I remember when I gave birth to my son. I was so anxious and scared of the process of labor as a first time mom. I would pray with so much fear and worry just hoping to receive some kind of peace from the Lord. I thankfully had a safe and quick delivery with my son, but it was not necessarily a peaceful experience. I was shocked at how fast the delivery went, I remember being scared of not knowing how to cope with the pain, but somehow in the midst of the chaos I felt God’s peace. I knew in the delivery room that He was with me and my son.

As I am preparing for my second baby boy this fall, there are so many aspects like the birth, the health of the baby, and the effect of postpartum that are out of my control. I am trying to remind myself that while there is still so much I cannot control, I can control my mindset. Don’t get me wrong, hormones and postpartum can really throw you for a loop! However, in the midst of so many new experiences, learning moments, and the role of becoming a mother somehow the Lord gave me a good perspective.

My son was a pretty easy baby by culture’s standards. He ate well, he slept well, he was mostly happy and content. But there were many hard days and moments in the midst of the newborn phase. I remember them vaguely, though they felt so overwhelming at the time. We conveniently had him the week of thanksgiving and I swear it made me more aware of how I wanted my mindset to be in this new season. We always have a choice of how to react. When he was cluster feeding and I was exhausted. When nothing would soothe him and it made me feel inadequate as his mother. When he would scream but I didn’t know him well enough yet to know what he needed. In all of these moments, I had a choice. I could either complain or rejoice.

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This is an encouragement from Paul that joy is never based on our circumstances!

I asked my husband to keep me accountable of this as we stepped into this new season together of becoming parents. So in the moments where our son was being fussy or difficult (some may say), I wanted to first think these words: Thank you Lord that I have a baby who needs me. It was simple. But it kept me in a consistent mindset of gratitude and grace to this precious boy that the Lord had entrusted me and my husband to care for. I had always wanted to be a wife and mother. There are many women who are still longing for a baby. I knew it was a gift. Culture can make it seem like it is torture. Sleepless nights, a tired and healing body, and constantly being needed. To me, it was my dream coming true.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I failed at this many times, that is why I needed my community and more importantly the Lord near to me to remind me to remain grateful. It was a hard season, but it was a beautiful one too. I was tired many days, but I was more thankful than I was tired.

How often do we choose to complain over rejoicing? How often are we reluctant to see even the hardest and most exhausting seasons as blessings? Blessings that move us towards abiding more in Jesus. I have never felt a deeper need for Jesus than in the past year and a half of becoming a mother. I need Him every hour. He knew that and if I wasn’t allowing His Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts, words and actions I would’ve missed it. I would still be missing it.

Do not miss what God has for you. Every moment He gives us is a moment we can choose to live in His mindset of joy, to remain faithful to the tasks He has given us in that moment, and to glorify Him with every fiber of our being.