BE GENTLE ON YOURSELF

There’s a story I tell in Dreaming with God when one of my bible study leaders reminded me to be gentle on myself when I was in a particularly busy season of motherhood. I had just had my third baby, and my other two sons were about 2 and 5. I was a busy mama and a little sleep-deprived. I had dreams of being a great mama – all showered and energetic with dinner on the table in the evenings! I was beginning to sense a deep-down seedling of a dream to write taking root in my heart, but I literally didn’t have time or energy to really take any steps toward that dream. My sweet bible study leader could have encouraged me to pull myself together, try harder, and to hurry up and get to the dream of writing even though it was nearly physically impossible. But instead, her gentle encouragement felt like the sweetest invitation to trust God and to relax into my current season.

Be gentle on yourself.

In that season, I learned that I don’t have to be a perfect mama. I learned that taking care of myself was really vital in order to take care of these three little ones. I learned that pushing, striving, and putting high expectations on myself only made me feel like I wasn’t doing a good job. But when I remembered to be gentle on myself  – to give myself grace just like God gives me grace every single day – I learned to more deeply depend on God as my strength and as the Sheperd of my life.

I realized I didn’t have to rush my dreams because God was leading.

I realized I didn’t have to do motherhood alone.

I realized I needed rest and grace.

I realized that I didn’t have to do that particular season perfectly.

And in the realizing, I fell in love with that season. Even though we still had rough nights of sleep and even though taking care of little ones was physically challenging, I learned to soak it in. I realized that being gentle on myself physically and mentally was a gift to my own heart.

In your current season, sweet one, remember to be gentle on yourself. Give yourself grace to mess up, grace to learn, grace to rest, grace to cease striving, grace to depend on God for the strength you need, grace to be imperfect, grace to start over, and grace to enjoy your current season.

My little ones are so big now. They are 7, 9, and 12. Junior high is in our horizon. And today, I’m reminded again, to be gentle on myself still. It’s a different season, but the need for grace hasn’t changed. The need for rest, nourishment, contentment, peace about the future, and the need for God will never change.

Today, be gentle on yourself in your current season. Give yourself grace to be loved, sheperded, and tended by the God who sees you, knows you, loves you, and has you.

Questions for your heart:

In what ways do you need to be more gentle on yourself in your current season?

What dreams do you need to entrust to God and His perfect timing?

How would it feel to show yourself more grace this week?

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV