Who Feels Like She Can’t Catch Up

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT, Mark and I watch the popular television show Survivor, in which contestants test their ability to survive in a remote location with strangers. The winner of a weekly challenge—physical, mental, or both—is given immunity from being voted out that week. Contestants want to remain in the game as long as they can because the last remaining participant wins one million dollars.

One of the challenges on this show reminds me so much of motherhood that I chuckle whenever I see it. The first rule is that the contestants have to keep one hand behind their backs at all times. Next, a ball is dropped into a contraption that looks like a small roller coaster. It goes down the chute and through a series of gates and turnstiles until it comes flying out at the bottom. The objective is to catch that ball before it hits the ground. Every few minutes another ball is added, and the timing is critical to prevent the first, second, or third ball from dropping before being caught. It takes concentration, physical dexterity, and the ability to time everything just right.

When I watch this show, I think to myself, Put in the first ball, do the laundry; add the second ball, make the meals; add the third ball, provide transportation to sports practice; add the fourth ball . . . I think you get it. Some days all you can think about is how not to drop anything or anyone and just keep up because life never slows down and the balls never stop flying through the chutes. But inevitably something comes flying at us, and we don’t have our timing just right. Something important gets dropped, and we feel like we will never catch up.

All the responsibilities that come together seem to be taunting, You’ll never catch me! You can’t handle this! You are too far behind! But those are lies from the enemy of our hearts that you don’t have to listen to. Our Lord promised us: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Jesus can and will replace those noisy thoughts with His peace. He will help us keep moving forward in His love. He keeps the whole world spinning, and yet He carefully holds our hearts too. We don’t have to be afraid of what is right in front of us and what is coming our way because the Lord has promised us His peace. Let’s thank Him for that peace right now as we pray together.

Tonight we pray for the momma who feels like she can’t catch up. Lord, it might be her children, the housework, the bills, or her relationships. She might feel like she’ll never measure up to her friends who seem to have it all together. She might feel a little bit behind in so many areas. And just when she makes progress in one area, she feels as if she falls behind in another. Lord, bring peace and rest to this momma’s racing heart. Silence all the swirling lies that tell her she’ll never make it. Help her take ground in the areas that seem beyond her reach.

We ask in Jesus’s name, amen.

Lord, give me energy, creativity, and a fresh perspective in these areas where I feel so far behind: