Mom Heart Moments #139

It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

AFTER MY LAST CHILD WAS BORN, I found myself almost constantly in a state of exhaustion. Joy was my third child with nocturnal asthma, and I was up with her most nights as she gasped for breath. I was full into homeschooling my older children, having a ministry, and busy, busy, busy all the time. I suddenly came to a point where I was gaining weight, fighting to avoid depression and burnout, and I didn’t know exactly how to get off the merry-go-round. When I went to a doctor, he said, “You can die early if you want to, but if you don’t figure out how to get some rest, you will surely have serious consequences in your life.”

It was a wake-up call for me. I realized that I needed to take hold of my life and make a plan.

I began to ask myself, What things am I doing that are vain —creating too much work and stress and “painful labor”? Which activities are really not necessary or beneficial? How can I eliminate some of the “hurry up and get in the car so we won’t be late” times that really add stress to all of us?

I began to realize God had not given me more than I could do, so I needed to rest within the limitations of my season of life at that time. I began to say no to the expectations of other people that stole my energy and attention but did not build my core priorities. I had to ignore the false expectations and voices in my head that were telling me what I should do, and focus on my true desire to pursue what was best for me and my children.

How’s your own emotional and physical health? Are you, too, hearing a wake-up call? What might you do to eliminate painful labor in your life?