5 Motherhood Lies And The Truths To Battle Them

What a precious, fleeting time of life.

At home – all the time – with tiny humans.  Humans that are needy, curious, loving, and uninhibited by nakedness.  Humans that know nothing and need to know everything.  Humans that consume a lot and contribute very little.  Humans that are valuable beyond measure.

Our children.

The souls that the Lord has entrusted us with.

Motherhood is a sacred and honorable calling.  It is a gift!  But we are like our very own children…we become dissatisfied after only a moment with our treasures.  We see the lives of other mommas and long for the time, the energy, the respect, and the gifts that they have been blessed with.  They seem to be living in much greener, much more manicured grass than we do.

But the truth is, the grass is greener where it is watered.

Our dissatisfied, weary, grouchy momma souls must be watered by the Truth!

As a crazy momma myself of 3 young children and 1 on the way, I am in the throes of fighting motherhood lies.  Somedays, I don’t know if I’m more weary from my mountain of household chores or from the inner turmoil of flesh vs. spirit.  But there are daily joys and daily reprieves and, most importantly, daily doses of Truth.

I struggle with those pesky, joy-stealing “Motherhood Lies.”  I want to share some of them – the ones we surely all struggle with – and the Truth that puts them to rest.

5 Motherhood Lies And The Truths To Battle Them

The Lie:
I literally cannot do this.  I cannot physically complete everything that needs to be done.  There is too much of “everything” and too little of me.
The Truth:
Payday is coming!  Our work is now, while we are on earth.  And yes, we will be tired by the end of it all, but isn’t that what it means to “love the Lord with all of your strength?”  Christ in Heaven is our reward, and what a reward it will be!  Our reward is so great that the thought of it adds fuel to our “engine,” and we can press on as we keep our eternal home in sight.  We can embrace and even be thankful for our weary momma arms and for our aching momma back.  Because “sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much…”  (Ecc. 5:12)  And as sweet as our sleep is now, how precious will our relaxing with our friends and Lord be once we are Home.  Work now, Rest soon.

The Lie:
I cleaned the toilet today and no one even noticed.  The house looks and smells better than it ever has and no one has thanked me.  I am totally unappreciated and deserve more than this.
The Truth:
Salt water only makes a thirsty person thirstier…and compliments are salt water.  Seeking satisfaction from the approval of your husband or children will leave you “high” for a moment, and then wanting more in an hour.  In effect, we become compliment junkies.  We must refresh ourselves with what satisfies…the delight of having our needs met and conquered by a loving Savior.  Jesus said, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  (John 4:14)   And when our hearts delight in Him, then we will be in the right mind to declare “May my husband see my clean toilets and give praise to my Father who is in Heaven!”  (Matt. 5:16)

The Lie:
I was worth more to my husband when I had a pre-baby body.
The Truth:
Our bodies are not our crown.  Youth and beauty will slip through your fingers, whether you have a baby or not.  The crown that you are to wear is one of everlasting value…the crown of Christ’s righteousness.  Unlike physical beauty, which diminishes over time, the crown of Christ will make you more beautiful over time.  Your husband will see it.  Your children will see it.  And you will be free from the oppression of maintaining perfection.  “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”  (2 Cor. 4:16)

The Lie:  I am inside of these 4 walls most of the time.  I have very little interaction with the “outside world.”  My significance and impact on the world is on hold during my years of rearing little ones.
The Truth:
You have been given charge of His creations.  Your words, actions, and character will mold your children’s view of everything!  This is a season, an exhausting season with much responsibility.  But it has been given to you as a gift, not as a punishment.  You are not in prison!  Rather, you have been granted the freedom to love big and paint a radical picture of your Savior.  Treasure it, mommas.  When you feel lonely or disconnected, talk to your loves. Pray to your Lord.  And remember His promise: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  (Matt. 11:29-30)

The Lie:  I have failed.  My 5-year-old isn’t potty trained.  My toddler doesn’t speak, much less know any of that baby sign language.  And I demand feed my baby.
The Truth:
Motherhood isn’t about you.  It isn’t even about developing a thriving child.  It is about pointing to Jesus and exclaiming to your children, “Look at Him!  He is the One to follow and to love!”  When you and your family have declared Christ as your prize, everything else becomes secondary.  Even potty training.  There are no failures or embarrassments deep enough to separate you from the love of Christ.  The reproach of others will not loosen your crown.  What mommas must keep near to their hearts is the promise that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  (Rom. 8:1)

As my 5-year-old son said:  “We don’t run.  We fight!”

“But as for you, O [woman] of God…pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”  (I Timothy 6:11-12)

Header photo by:  Keith Ellwood

Lauren Souers

Hi, my name is Lauren. I am the wife of one fine man and the momma of four (huge) young children – three boys and one princess! I love all of them. I mostly clean up messes and feed people all day, and it’s really fun to write about it. Jesus is the rock of my family – we love and serve a mighty King! I hope you leave here full of hope that “tired” can be good.