Perseverance

I recently gave birth to our sixth child via C-Section. Balancing my needs while caring for my newborn has been downright tiring. Thankfully I have had the support of my husband, mother, and mother-in-law. I was blessed with a “text book” pregnancy but had several complications during delivery. I lost three liters of blood and needed two blood transfusions. My appendix, one fallopian tube, a piece from my small intestine, and various adhesions were removed in order to deliver our son. I also vomited several times while on the table. My 4.5-hour long surgery ended with a cystoscopy to ensure that my bladder had not been punctured. God gave me His perfect peace through it all.

If you have been a mom for any period of time you know that motherhood requires fortitude. Oftentimes I look at my children and imagine who they will become and that alone motivates me to continue on my motherhood journey. However, when I feel overwhelmed and under-appreciated there are a couple of things that help me to persevere:

I pray when I feel overwhelmed. Marriage, family commitments, and the trials of life can take their toll on the mind and heart. Some seasons are more difficult than others. I am learning to be content in every circumstance. If you are in a particularly hard season of life, my hope is that you would see it as a chapter in your story. Seasons end; new chapters begin. In Psalm 62:8 God tells us to trust in Him at all times. He wants us to pour out our hearts to Him. He is our refuge. May we continually seek His wisdom, guidance, and strength (Romans 12:12) so that we can effectively lead our children. Stay focused on the task (s) at hand and do “the next right thing.”  

I look up when I feel under-appreciated. God brought a scripture to mind some time ago as I felt that a lot of my daily efforts were unrecognized. Colossians 3:23 says to work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Application of this scripture infers having a good attitude and seeing whatever task I’m doing as a service unto God. Verbal praise and affirmation cannot be the reason I serve. I am not fulfilling my role and responsibilities to hear well done by my husband or children—though this can be an encouragement at times.

I can only be faithful with what has been entrusted to me. There are tangible rewards for our willingness to persevere. Faithful endurance wins the race.

For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift]. (John 1:16 AMP)

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12 NIV)

Stay faithful in the little things,

Shemica