I don’t think I knew what it meant to be tired until I became a mom. Sure, I’ve run races (I used to do a 5k almost every weekend back in high school) and put in long, full days at the office.
But mom-tired is a different kind of tired. I think back on those newborn days, being SO tired from nursing every hour at night and then changing diapers, cleaning the house, preparing food, etc… being a new mom was a lot of work! I would hit my pillow at night (or let’s be real, whenever Aletheia was safely sleeping in her crib) and fall asleep straight away.
And, it’s still the same today. Sometimes I’m up at night with Aletheia, there’s still lots of housework, there are still diapers to change and food to prepare. And, I still hit the pillow at night exhausted from a long day of work…
This is a feeling I call mom-tired.
I can easily get discouraged in this state. When I look at my to-do list and see it ever expanding, when my baby is up all Saturday night long and I have to be at church the next day to hear my husband teach, when it’s 4PM and I haven’t sat still all day and there’s still more to do, when I haven’t had a break from 24/7 mom duties for a couple of weeks… I am mom-tired and the outlook can seem bleak.
And to be completely honest, in those moments, I have found myself thinking, “Oh, one more thing that I have to do because I am the mom, one more thing that is all my responsibility.” And cue the pity party for Deborah in 3… 2… 1…
That may be the worst response ever. Hello?
Being a mom is being a servant.
You are a servant to everyone around you: your husband, your kids, your neighbors, your friends, your church. All the “one more things” that moms do bring glory to God because you are serving Him as you serve others.
And yes, there are so many things to do, so many things that maybe only mom can do. And, yes, it is so very tiring and so draining to work so hard.
But, mamas, being mom-tired is worth it because that means you are bringing glory to God by striving for the best you can be as a mom.
You’re pushing yourself farther and farther, striving for better and better. Not so that you can gain success or glory, but so that God can have more glory.
God encourages us through the Bible to strive for excellence in all that we do. Our excellence reflects His excellence to the world. Psalm 150:2 says, “Praise [God] for His mighty deeds, praise Him according to His excellent greatness.” (See here.)
Save This as Your Lockscreen!
He is excellent, holy, pure in all that He does.
So, when we work hard to care for our littles and for our home, when we put in full days doing chores, running errands, and cooking dinner, we are bringing glory to God. And when you’ve come to the end of the day and you are just mom-tired from all that you’ve pursued and done, that brings glory to God too.
Of course, we will never be perfect, that’s not the point. But striving for more opportunities to serve others venerates our Lord. After all, He has called us to glorify Him in all that we do (1 Corinthians 10:31). And that verse is referring to simple, everyday tasks like eating and drinking. So all of our tasks that we do in the home should glorify our Father.
Being a mom is a lot of hard work. But I am resolved to working hard.
Instead of seeing tasks as just another task or chore, I want to see them as more opportunities to serve others. Another chance to bring more glory to God. Another way that I can pursue excellence in all that I do.
So let’s work hard for the Lord. Let’s be mom-tired. Let’s push hard each day to do more for the Kingdom.
Work hard at home. Play hard with your kids. Find time to read that book about parenting. Make the effort for a date night to happen. Do that chore that you despise. Have those friends over that you haven’t seen in a while. Push yourself to excellence. Don’t let your inhibitions, sinful tendencies, or distractions keep you from all the things that you can do for God as a mom. Do all that you can to bring glory and honor to God, who is our great and excellent heavenly Father.
Related Posts:
Faithfulness in Motherhood
How to Read Your Bible as a Busy Mom
Savor Your Savior in the Busy-ness of Motherhood
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