Mother’s Day Prayer When You Feel Overwhelmed
By Rachel Ujo
Bible Reading:
“When I was pushed hard, I cried out to the Lord, and he brought me to a spacious place.” – Psal sal 118:5
Read or listen to the following:
One day I remember feeling motherhood swallowing me whole. Have you ever felt that demand was coming faster than you could meet them? I was certainly there and if you’re a mom, I think you have too. A long time ago, our household was hit by what I could only describe as an apocalypse of the stomach virus. Three of our children were spitting nonstop within 48 hours of each other. I was totally overwhelmed during the night’s alarm awakening, a constant sheet of paper changing and a pile of laundry that seemed to multiply with each turn of the turn. By the third day I found myself standing in front of the washing machine at 2am. I was so tired I couldn’t even cry.
At that moment, I felt the weight of motherhood had been crushed. It wasn’t just physical tasks, but there were plenty of them. The emotional sacrifice of seeing my children suffered has extended me beyond my abilities while trying to maintain similarities in normalcy for everyone else in the house, but I was expected to continue. Maybe you’ve been there too. Maybe not invasion of the stomach virus, but in its own version of overwhelming maternal nature. A sleepless night with my newborn. The concerns about teenagers are poor choices. An endless juggling of work deadlines and family commitments. It’s not enough to just turn around, that everyone needs a part of you. Friends, I really get it.
In Psalm 118:5, David writes, “When I was pushed hard, I cried out to the Lord, and he took me to a spacious place.” I love this image. When we squeeze in all directions by motherly pressure, God does not necessarily remove the pressure, but he takes us to a “spacious place.” Where we can breathe again, we can find room to move, live and thrive despite the circumstances.
That night, in the laundry room, I whispered hopeless prayers. It wasn’t eloquent or long. And although the pile of laundry did not magically disappear, I felt my spirit was expanding. The spacious place God brought me was not physical. This reminds me that I wasn’t alone. God who entrusted these children to me, promises to guide me gently throughout the season, including the overwhelming ones. I don’t have to wait for a change in situations to experience changes in my mind.
As we approach Mother’s Day, I want to remind you that it’s okay to admit it when motherhood feels too heavy to carry. It’s okay to cry out to God when you’re overwhelmed. In fact, it is those raw, honest moments of surrender that we often experience his presence the most powerfully.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
Today’s weight is pressed against my chest, leaving each task undoing and tightening. Noise, needs, demands – they swirl around me like a merciless storm. I’m tired, worn and stretched thinly. But you remind me that I am not alone. Even in the midst of confusion, you are my calm. When my hands are full, let my heart rest in you. Draw me when nothing is left. Embrace me in the tranquility of your existence. Let your mysterious arm find evacuation. If you feel like you’re being pushed hard in every way, thank you for taking me to a spacious area. Thank you for seeing me exactly where I was, motherly. When the demands of motherhood threaten to consume me, expand my abilities through your strength, not through myself. Remember, on this Mother’s Day, motherhood was designed not as a burden to endure on your own, but as the journey walked hand in hand with you. I am grateful for the sacred privilege of raising these children and your promise to gently guide young people.
In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Benwhite
Rachel Wojo is an author, public speaker and podcaster who hosts Bible reading assignments on the popular blog rachelwojo.com. Her biblical approach and living environment influence women find strength and hope in everyday situations. Rachel’s journey is an ideal, hopeless prayer that sheds light on asking God’s questions. Rachel’s journey includes losing her mother to leukemia, a daughter of her adult special needs, a rare neurologically degenerative disease, and her father suffers from illness. She is the author of hopeless prayer. It is to embrace the power of prayer in the darkest moments of life. Mostly, Rachel is in love with six on Earth and two in heaven for Matt.
If you are looking for guidance to deepen your prayer life in difficult times, I encourage you to embrace my new book, Desperate Prayers: The Power of Prayer in the Darkest Moment of Life. You will find practical stories, prayers, and practical ways to connect with God when you need him the most. For more information, please visit dastateprayers.com.
Listen to your evening prayer podcast
We are proud to announce that we have launched a new nighttime companion for your daily prayer: Your Night Prayer Prayer. You can find it on the website Crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. Here you can sign up to receive in your inbox every night. I hope it is a relaxed and soothing way to defeat your day with a rich meditation on God. Check out the following episodes:
Because you prayed, do you need someone to pray for you? Click the button below
