Who Has Nothing Left To Give

Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

IT WAS A WARM SUMMER EVENING when the sky stays lit well past bedtime for two small preschoolers. I opened the garage door and dragged two Power Wheels motorized cars (gifts from grandparents) from behind the mess of lawn equipment and paint buckets.

This was Kolton and Kadence’s favorite time of day. They loved making the loop around our neighborhood block as I chased behind them shouting directions: “Slow down!” “Don’t crash into each other!” “Don’t hit the neighbor’s parked car!” Our quiet street was disturbed with the happiest chaos in those evening hours.

When I look back, summer nights like these hold some of my favorite memories from that season of life. But as I lived them? I felt the full exhaustion of caring for three small children under six. It was a time in which I daily offered my little bits of strength, hope, and joy to the Lord, trusting that He would meet me and supernaturally multiply all I offered Him.

Are you in a season of loving your children but feeling wholly exhausted? Motherhood in every season is holy work and often hard work. God invited us into this calling of caring for our kids, and everything He calls us to requires us to lean fully on Him. The disciples knew this was true.

When Jesus sent His disciples to tell others the Good News, they were faithful in their mission. They did just as He commanded. They had drawn large crowds, and they were tired—so tired, in fact, that Scripture says they hadn’t even had a chance to eat.

Seeing this, the Lord invited them to go with Him to a quiet place where they could get some rest. Pardon me while I pause the story right here and say, “Yes, Lord! May You see my need and invite me to a quiet place to rest and eat, amen.” Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Isn’t that the unspoken prayer request of every momma’s heart? Please, Jesus, I love these people, but I could use a moment of solitude.

The truth is, as the disciples traveled by boat with Jesus to that quiet place, the crowds followed them. As I imagine the joy they felt as the Lord called them to a place to rest, I can equally imagine the disappointment they experienced when they arrived at their getaway spot only to find more people waiting, full of needs. Can you imagine that? If this isn’t the picture of a mother’s life in Scripture!

Mark’s Gospel records that Jesus taught these people many things, but the disciples noticed another need. They were hungry! So they went to Jesus.

“This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

So He had the disciples gather the food that was available, and He supernaturally multiplied it. Five loaves of bread and two fish miraculously fed five thousand people. God multiplied something else in that moment—strength.

My friend, when taking a break isn’t an option, you and I can rest knowing that we are working alongside the Lord. And He is in the business of taking small amounts of whatever we offer Him and supernaturally multiplying it. So tonight we are praying for you. He gave you this family, and He is working alongside you to meet all their needs. He knows that you love them but you are weary.

Tonight we pray for the momma who has nothing left to give. Lord, she has reached the end of the day and is staring at all there is left to do. She doesn’t know where the strength to finish will come from. She’s tired and she needs Your help. But, Lord, You are the God of hope. You are the One who makes her heart new every morning, and when her strength runs out, You remind her that Yours does not. Whatever she has to face the rest of this week, this month, or this year, you’ll face it together. Please help her rest tonight.

We ask in Jesus’s name, amen.

Jesus, give me strength and multiply my rest as I . . .