He Must Increase; I Must Decrease

All Rights Reserved. Emily Jaminet. Created 2016 on www.canva.com

One of the most challenging moments of being a mother is not having time to myself like I once had! It is hard for me to squeeze in a few important errands like Christmas shopping, grocery shopping or an occasional haircut for myself. All that aside, I find it especially challenging to set apart time to grow closer to Christ when the demands of family life are so pressing.

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No matter how old you were when you became a mother for the first time, having little ones totally dependent on you is a life-changing experience, to say the least!

For example, while traveling with small children, the errands take twice as long and require a whole lot more effort! Not to mention you are always on display for unsolicited comments and suggestions from even strangers.

Motherhood always has room for growth, despite how long you have been at it! I have found that the key to being a good mother with little free time is to follow the advice of others:

First, focus on the positives, second, remember it is just one season in my life and try to enjoy these years, and third, take St. John the Baptist’s words found in John 3:30 to heart. “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Copyright 2016 Emily Jaminet. All rights reserved/

When we think less about ourselves and rely more on Christ to help us in our vocation we are truly able to find peace and joy despite our daily setbacks. So remember: We must decrease and allow Christ to work within us. Tremendous personal and spiritual growth will be the result when we stop thinking about what we want or can no longer accomplish thanks to small children.

So the next time you are feeling overwhelmed by your lack of personal time and feel burdened by small children, ask Christ to increase within you so to leave you feeling refreshed and renewed!