Pregnancy and Motherhood comes with a unique set of fears and worries at each stage. Those fears and worries can easily be consuming. Instead of giving permission to those fears and worries to take root in our hearts, we can be encouraged and strengthend by God’s faithfulness.
One of my favorite hymns is “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”. It started out as a poem by Thomas Chisholm and eventually was set to music by William Runyan in 1923. The third verse of the hymn says this…
“Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow:
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!”
The worries of Motherhood can be held up to these truths. The nursery does not have to be perfectly completed before baby arrives (all I really needed the first month Baby Grace was born was a bassinet, a few clean zippered PJ’s and swaddles and a well-stocked diaper changing area); your toddler getting a head start in their education will be taken care of; your adult son or daughter will find a career where their skills and gifts will be valuable. Rather than trying to control and conquer everything that comes with pregnancy and motherhood, because of Jesus Christ who became the propitiation for our sins (see Romans 3:25), we can take hold of a special Grace which gives us peace surpassing all understanding; the presence of God always near to comfort and guide us. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of Strength and of Hope — abiding in Christ, drawing The Living Water from a well athat never runs dry, we always have strength for the day’s moments and a bright tomorrow. He will always provide exactly what we need spiritually as well as tangibly.
In Philippians 4, Paul thanks the church of Philippi for generously giving to his ministry despite their own financial need. The Philippians modeled a commendable trust in God for their provision and placed Christ’s glory ahead of the circumstances of this temporal life (see Philippians 4:19). Just as God provided for the Philippians, He will also provide exactly what your family needs (not necessarily your wants) in His way and in His timing. And God loves to use His people to provide those blessings, like He did for the church of Philippi. So when someone offers you second-hand clothes, furniture or household items, or help watch your baby, clean your home or move into a new one, bring you food, or buys you groceries, thank the Lord for using them in your life!
The Bible never says that Christians will be without worries, fears, and hardships but His Word does promise us that through third person of The Trinity, The Holy Spirit who indwells all who believe and abides in Jesus Christ, we have a spirit of power, love, and discernment and because of that we need not fear anything (see 2 Timothy 1:7). In our own capacity our fears and worries can be all-consuming or if we fend those feelings off for a while, it is only a matter of time before the fears and worries overcome our willpower. But thank God we do not have to rely on our human strength and willpower. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that despite our fears and worries, God’s presence is as close to us as our next breath. His limitless strength, wisdom, love and power will uphold our souls, one day at a time…
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- What are some of your current fears or worries in this season of motherhood?
Prayer Prompt:
Ask God to comfort you through the Holy Spirit and to have the truths of scripture sink down into your heart so as to strengthen you. Thank God for His continued provision and make known your concerns to Him. He knows exactly what you need and He is faithful to provide, but He wants you to grow in reliance on and relationship with Him so with prayer and supplication tell God of your needs.