THE ANSWER FOR WHEN A PARENT FEELS INADEQUATE
I don’t always do this mommy thing right. Some days leave me a frazzled mess and I just want to get under the covers and go back to bed. The call feels so much bigger than me and my inadequacies are on full display. I sometimes get away with looking as if I have it all together from the outside, but come through my front door and sit with me long enough and the truth will be revealed. My house is not always Pinterest clean, and my children are not always well behaved.
Being a parent is not for the faint of heart, there are so many twist and turns and unknowns. All six of my children have distinct personalities and right when I think I have it figured out, they say or do something that leaves me scratching my head. There are also days in which I honestly don’t know how to respond to them or respond in the wrong way. Days in which I yell when I should listen or hastily move them along to the next task instead of pausing to give a hug. Then when I get to the end of the day guilt sets in and I put more emphasis on what I did wrong, how I should know better.
I am learning that I can’t give up and cry woe is me if I have a less than perfect day in parenting world. If I put the emphasis on me always doing it right or knowing all the answers, I will always disappoint. God has used parenting to pull back the layers and show me how I have made an idol of my wisdom and my perceived strength. I have been guilty of taking my focus off of God and getting wrapped up in MY ABILITIES…great formula for failure. However I am learning to embrace His mercies that are new every morning and humbly admit that I just cannot do this journey on my own. I NEED GOD…DESPARATELY! I am more convinced more now than ever of my need to pray. But as always, when I seek Him from a humble and broken heart He answers, making for a more successful journey. How about you? What has your parenting journey been like? Has it been difficult for you to admit your need for God in the process? Do you accept His wisdom when He gives it? Leave a comment and let me know.
About the Author
Anika Jones
Anika Jones is a speaker and author of the book Lessons Learned Along The Way: A 40 Day Devotional. She blogs about faith and family at LivingForLater.com and posts weekly videos on her YouTube channels, Living For Later (@livingforlater) and Living Life Now (@livinglifenow). Anika loves speaking about developing intimacy with God and understanding who we are in Christ. She serves alongside her husband in ministry. They live in Illinois with their 6 children.