Making Time for God as a Young Mother

Every mother has surely felt this. The pain you go through during childbirth feels worth it when you see your tiny baby in your arms. The fruit of love, which is part of you and your spouse, is now present in your life. From that moment on, your world is never the same again.

Yet, with that joy also comes new responsibility. The endless busyness of caring for your little one leaves you feeling overwhelmed and starting to lose your joy. All your pleasures seem to disappear. You find it hard to divide your time, and you do not even have time for yourself. Little by little, your relationship with God also grows distant.

When this happens, what should you do?

Becoming a Mother: A New Chapter, A New Busyness

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow and obtain salvation. – 1 Peter 2:2 

The nursing period is both beautiful and exhausting. If you are a mother who has to do everything on your own, without help from a housekeeper or other family members, you will be overwhelmed. A newborn baby needs pure milk from the mother so that growth can be optimal. Usually a baby nurses every 2-3 hours, as many as 8-12 times a day.

When the time comes, you hurry over to nurse your little one, then go back to the kitchen to cook. After preparing the food, you nurse again, then go off to wash clothes. Before the laundry is done, your baby wakes up and fusses. Once again, you go back to the room to see what is needed, and so it goes on. Not only that, you also have to tidy the house, clean up after your little one, and change diapers several times a day.

Without realizing it, a whole day has passed. When night comes and you want to rest, your baby wakes up several times through the night. In the end, you always feel tired. Let alone having a quiet time, you never seem to have enough time even for sleep.

Managing the Schedule

After entering this new chapter of life as a mother, your stress level may increase. The first months really are hard. Not infrequently, you fail to have your quiet time, or often fall asleep when you are about to read the Bible. You find it hard to divide your time, and you do not even have time for yourself. Even just to powder your face and put on lipstick you do not have time, let alone take care of your body!

There were times, when I had just become a young mother, that I felt concerned about my own condition. All day long, my life only revolved around the kitchen, the laundry area, and the baby. In the afternoon, after the housework was done, I stayed in the room with my little one, accompanied by songs from an old radio. While my spouse worked, was busy serving in ministry, and attending community gatherings, I could not go anywhere.

I once felt how narrow my world had become after becoming a mother. Gone was my youth and all its fun.

So, moms, when something like this happens, what should we do?

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! – Psalm 118:24

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Remember that today is the day you once dreamed of, planned, and prayed for, again and again. The day when you finally have a family, just as you always wanted. By having a husband and children for you to raise, does that not mean your dream has come true?

Never forget who has given you those precious things: The Lord! He is the God who gives you the desires of your heart. So, do not forget to thank Him every day.

Restore your relationship with God through quiet time. Even if your schedule is no longer as regular as it used to be, you can still make time for God in the midst of your busyness. Here are the tips:

• You can nurse while praying or reading the Bible.
• When the baby is asleep, use that time to read the Word or pray.

Hope the tips above help, and enjoy this new chapter of your life as a mother with full joy!

Related Articles:

• Use Time for These Three Things, While You Can Still Say “Today”
• A Family's Emotional Savings
• Stir Up Your Passion for Life: Find Strength in Weakness
• God's Expectations and Human Expectations
• Looking for Happiness: Easy or Hard?

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