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“Mom worry” is a real thing, y’all. As the wedding of my third-born quickly approaches, I find myself waking during the night with a zillion things on my mind. Thoughts such as:
- Did we order enough flowers?
- Will my outfit be warm?
- What if she freezes in that dress during the ceremony?
- Will my husband and I clash? (Does a maroon dress clash with a grey suit that has a tiny rust-colored stripe?!?)
- Who hasn’t returned an RSVP? Can we still invite “X”, or will “X” be offended, knowing she was on the “B” list?
- Will she find a job after she’s married? Will she be safe at night? And, will she have to drive in thick traffic to get to work?
And then, the worries mount and spread like wildfire to my other kids, my grandkids, my parents, my husband’s family. My Restless Leg Syndrome kicks in high gear – my aching legs twitching and running to keep up the marathon.
Before I realize it, I’ve laid awake (and praying) for TWO HOURS.
Does anyone have any Melatonin?!
UGH.
Dear worried mom, you have the mind of Christ
Because of my “mom worry”, do you know what God keeps pressing back into my brain?
“You have the mind of Christ.”
What does that have to do with me waking in the middle of the night, obsessing over the ration of flowers per vase at the reception?
Let me put it another way.
Have you ever eaten pizza as a late night snack and awakened with an insatiable thirst?
Because of that thirst, you stumbled to the kitchen to pour a tall glass of cool, refreshing ice water. You gulped it down, splashing a few drops on your chest in haste, satisfying your parched tongue.
That water tasted better than the best Chic-fil-A iced tea you ever drank.
That same water that was out of that same spigot that you poured from the day before (when you tried to get in your 8 ounces 8 times) – wasn’t bland.
It tasted like nectar.
That water was THE answer to your yearnings. That water quenched your thirst. Truly, that water was not just water anymore.
That water was LIFE.
The mind of Christ quenches “mom worry”
Due to my “mom worry”, I soaked up Isaiah 55:1, which says, “HO! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”
And not only that – this call is for the hungry too:
“And you who have no money – come, buy, and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
This means water for insatiable thirst. Food for hunger pangs. All FREE, for the soul, spending time on what is NOT bread, and whole salaries on what does NOT satisfy (vs 2).
“And let your soul delight itself in abundance.”
So now we have two completely different stories – one about wedding nightmares and one about insatiable pizza thirst.
In the words of the Jim Carry Grinch, “What is the DEAL?!” (You think I’ve lost my marbles on too much wedding prep, right?)
Actually, yes – but that’s beside the point.
The point is that no matter our stage in life, the believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit (the mind of Christ), Who quenches ALL soul thirst in abundance.
This means that I am human. I am a mom. Human + Mom = Worry.
However, God is a Spirit. God is “I AM”. God + Nothing = Satisfaction.
Now, do you see the connection?
“Mom worry” is not Christ’s best for us
You see, as long as I live on this earth, I will possess “mom worry”. I will experience sleepless nights. My legs will get up and walk without me (causing my husband endless angst and bruised shins).
But I don’t have to LIVE in worry. I don’t have to spend my wages on it.
- Indeed, I can choose to grab a tall, empty, clear glass and hold it up to the I AM, the filler of LIFE, and the Ultimate Soul Satisfaction.
- I can pray the Holy Spirit to fill me up and permeate my mind with HIS thoughts.
- I can allow my soul to delight in the abundance of peace, joy, hope, and all the truths in God’s Word.
3 quick steps for Christian moms to counteract “mom worry”
Because of these truths, having the mind of Christ means:
1.) Allowing the Spirit to speak truth to my heart
2.) Listening to that still, small voice and choosing to trust
“Peace, I leave with You, My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27.)
3.) Obeying that voice – no matter how hard it seems
Dear believing mama, allow the Holy Spirit to quench your thirst. Let Him speak the truth in your mind. Follow His prompting, whether it be ignoring laundry piles to hold your fussy two-year-old, or pitching your to-do list to phone a hurting friend.
You have the mind of Christ. Stop worrying about what’s not done and accept that what God wants will be done. It’s all His anyway.
A prayer for “mom worry” from Isaiah 55
For now, I’m paraphrasing (and embellishing from God’s truths) Isaiah 55:1 for moms:
“HEY YOU!! Yes, you, mom! You – running around like a chicken with your head cut off, trying to do all of the things, waking during the night because you forgot to pay the electric bill. What needs to get done will get done. I have a time for everything. Trust me to work all things together for good. For now, grab your favorite ice tea glass and fill it up with my life-giving water that never runs out! Come drink gulps of everlasting peace, joy, and life! Don’t waste your time on things that don’t matter! (And that laundry pile will always be there, btw.) Spend time at my feet, MARTHA. You’ve got “mom worry” about the trivial things. Drink up! Be satisfied. I will make everything beautiful in it’s time. My Spirit will guide you. You have the mind of Christ! ( also from I Corinthians 2:16)”
So what if a two-foot blizzard blankets our outdoor wedding? The wedding will still take place. And what about you? What is your “mom worry” today? Let me know in the comments.
Meanwhile, take comfort in God’s tall glass of soul-quenching water.
I’m thirsty now, how about you??
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