Motherhood is a Battle

Feeling battleworn? Laura Range shares common areas the Enemy targets in our motherhood, and how God not only equips us but fights alongside us.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. (Psalm 144:1)

Motherhood is a battle.

You might be nodding your head as you think about a recent argument with your teen, tantrum from your toddler, or simply feeling weary at the end of the day from the endless fight against laundry and dishes and clutter. Amen, sister. Those are battles for sure. But the battle I'm talking about runs even deeper. It's a spiritual battle.

It's a battle for our joy. The Enemy wants to steal our joy so that we live this blessed vocation in fear, in resentment, in exhaustion, in restlessness. The many tasks of our days leave us overwhelmed and burnt out. Social media comparison leaves us empty. The uncertainty of the future threatens the joy of today.

It's a battle for our focus. It's hard to stay present in the mundane of daily life. Motherhood is a slow process of sanctification and we rarely see immediate results of our efforts. It's tempting to focus on areas of our lives that bring instant fulfillment or success rather than the long term investment of motherhood. Guilt from yesterday and fear for tomorrow pull our minds from the moment before us.

It's a battle for souls. Yours and mine. The souls of our children. Ultimately, the Enemy wants to steal our joy and our focus so that he can get to our souls. If we are discouraged and distracted, we lose sight of God’s love and His grace to equip us for this role of raising saints. We forget that God has called us to this day, to these children, in this home. Your vocation wasn't an accident. It was a calling with an eternal purpose.

So what do we do? How do we fight and overcome this sometimes overwhelming battle?

The good news is that we do not do it alone.

"Do not fear! Stand your ground and see the victory the Lord will win for you ... the Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still." (Exodus 14:14)

God knows the daily struggles we face. He doesn’t ask us to fight them alone. He fights for us and with us. The outcome doesn’t rest on our shoulders when we accept His all-powerful assistance. Our job is to trust Him to guide us instead of caving to fears and feelings of inadequacy. We are to stand our ground by remaining faithful to the daily needs of our families and entrusting the future to God. And we are to be still ... to claim the peace and true joy He daily offers us through prayer. His joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

You are a warrior, mama, and you’re doing a great job. Now let God take over and see the victory He will win for you.

Where have you been relying on your own strength in the challenges of motherhood? How might God be calling you to fear not, stand your ground, or be still?