It seems cliché to confess that my favorite passage in the Bible is Psalm 23. This seems like an easy and thoughtless answer, almost like a cop-out. After all, we all know Psalm 23, right? Even non-believers are familiar with its sentiments. But as I’ve gotten older and become a mother, I’ve realized that there’s a reason why Psalm 23 is timeless and beloved, like a piece of classic literature that endures through the ages.
“main teeth my shepherd. I don’t want it.
He makes me lie down in green meadows.
he leads me next door Calm water surface.
He restores my soul. he leads me in the path of righteousness
For your name’s sake.
yes, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I don’t fear evil.
for you teeth with me;
Your staff and your staff comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil. my cup run That’s all.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
All the days of my life.
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” (NKJV)
If it’s been a while since you immersed yourself in Psalm 23 and took it to heart every word to sustain your weary soul, dust off that chapter of your Bible and join us in looking at seven important ways to find rest when you’re busy as a mother and when fatigue and monotony threaten your joy.
1. Surrender to God’s command to rest
Of course, we are aware that English translations of the Bible are not necessarily culturally accurate to the time of the Bible. But I often laugh at the command in verse 2, where the psalmist says, “The Good Shepherd is.” make he lies down.
Compare this photo to an afternoon when my toddler was about to take a much-needed nap. So I put my son in his car seat and, despite his tantrums, I drive him around town, back roads, and everywhere for coffee to get him to sleep. He needs rest, and he knows that if he doesn’t get those two precious hours of sleep, his mind and body won’t function well for the rest of the day.
Our church life group often jokes that “we are God’s infants,” throws tantrums, defiantly says “no!” to God, and denies us needed rest. Take a moment today to reflect on whether you are obeying God’s command to rest and replenish your mind, soul, and body in order to better serve your family and most importantly, Christ.
2.Still Your Soul
I don’t know if you’ve ever spent time on a boat, whether it’s on a lake or the ocean, but there’s an unparalleled sense of serenity when the natural waters beckon. It is a gift from God and a call to rest in the peace that only God can give.
When was the last time you embraced silence? It doesn’t have to be literally on the water, but you can turn off the music in your car and use that alone time while commuting or running errands to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. I encourage you to find one or two small moments in your daily life to be quiet and practice hearing God’s voice.
3. Submit to God’s restoration.
In the nascent stages of motherhood, I quickly realized that I was losing my identity. I didn’t even know who I was outside of a limp woman who had gone days without a shower and somehow managed to keep her tiny human alive. Looking back, I realize that while I lost track of who I was, God used that intense postpartum season to help me become a stronger, more caring, loving, and selfless person.
Restoration is not always glamorous. Often we are required to shed old parts of ourselves to embrace who we can become through God’s grace, hope, and goodness. During your quiet time today, think of some things to do that will leave you exhausted and unsure of who you are. Ask God if these tasks are what He has called you to do and if there are things He wants you to set aside.
Remember, Mom, the Bible does not consider hustle to be sacred.
4. Accept God’s comfort
Shepherds used sticks as defensive weapons to ward off wolves and other predators that tried to harm their sheep. But a cane, a wooden tool with a bent end, was used to scoop up sheep in places they shouldn’t be. It was a rescue tool of sorts.
It should be our greatest comfort that God saves our souls, and it should be exactly what we rest in no matter what happens around us. God’s protective nature is a promise that our hearts will be forever safe in His hands. Consider this truth every day, especially when life and parenting naturally overwhelm you and thoughts of anxiety and fear threaten you.
5. Know your enemy
Pastor Louis Giglio once preached and said that if God is preparing a table for us in the presence of our enemies, that means we are not running from them. Instead, we face them with great confidence and grace in God’s protection, so we can partake of the meal in their presence without fear.
I couldn’t shake Giglio’s insight, but I suspect that his mother’s busyness became his enemy. We are so focused on our daily tasks that we don’t ask God to prepare the way because we are always moving at a dangerous pace. We don’t allow God to wipe our calendars clean and realign what we need to do with what truly needs to be done for the good of God’s kingdom and our families.
Find time to ask God if busyness has become your enemy and taken your focus away from His rest and peace. Ask God to provide you with a way to face this culturally-selected enemy with confidence in His grace and plan for your life.
6. Grant mercy and grace to your heart.
What I love about this picture of goodness and mercy following us is that it reflects the patience and patience of our God. God is patient when we hold back and don’t want to commit to a particular calling or commit a particular sin to death. Yet, God can push us into a corner if we allow fear or excitement that we haven’t discussed with God and pick up the pace at a deadly rate.
Notice the pace you set for the spiritual well-being of your family. Are you teaching your children what it means to slow down and take time to read the Bible and pray? Are you an example when you take your struggles and concerns to God and allow Him to set the pace for you moving forward? Allow the Good Shepherd to set the rhythm of your life and be mindful of His goodness and mercy.
7. Don’t forget home
I love old English literature that refers to a person’s house as a “dwelling.” “Dwell” (verb) feels more nostalgic, whimsical, and slow, reminding us that it’s okay, even healthy, to linger, relax, and love the homes we’ve created.
As finite creatures, we often forget that we are spiritually eternal and have access to heaven through salvation in Christ. God has handcrafted for us a truly perfect home that will forever contain His glory and perfection.
Take your time and create a home where your family can come back after long, busy days and find rest for their souls. In the meantime, may everyone in your household know the eternal home that awaits them in glory.
good shepherd
My take on this classic psalm is to encourage you to face your busy schedule with a renewed sense of God’s ordained grace and peace. May you truly rest in peace in the nurturing love and protection of the Good Shepherd.
“I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. ” John 10:11 (NIV)
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/miljko
Peyton Garland is a writer, editor, and mom of a boy who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee. For more encouragement, subscribe to her blog Uncured+OK.
