"Waah! Waah! Waah!" yammered my six-month old at one in the morning. I picked up my little one and turned on the sound machine, blaring crashing waves in the starry night. No iced toy or chilled cloth could satisfy the squeal of my teething child. The minutes dragged on and the wee hours felt even more lonely. “But for this very purpose have I let you live, that I might show you My power, and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth” (Exodus 9:16). We can call on the Holy Spirit to be our helper and comforter in the dark of night. The Holy Spirit is there when your child tells you after a week-long vacation that he did not have a good time, and you remember working countless sleepless nights to get time off. He is there when your heart is beating fast, squinting at your bank account balance, hoping those pending transactions do not go through before your paycheck comes in. He is there when you cannot seem to find a middle ground with your ex. Let us proclaim His name out loud, even at one in the morning, to provide our hearts peace. Don't let this world drain your joy. Trust in His purpose and plan for you. You are a strong momma! I remember the early weeks when I brought my premature daughter home from the hospital. Little preemie babies sleep more than regular babies, as they need extra time to continue to develop. There were hours where I just sat with her in my arms, just staring at the curves of her eyes, her button nose, and her not yet chubby cheeks. Her beauty made me speechless, along with how peaceful she was through the hours of sleep.
I wanted to grab what she had....that pure and true peace that could only come from a place not from this world. This world, specifically my relationship with the man, my husband, who chose to abandon my daughter and I, brought nothing but hurt and anger. Oh, how I yearned to lay my head down on my pillow and sleep soundly, like my daughter. Why can’t I have peace too? In the midst of your suffering it can feel impossible to have any sort of peace. Your circumstances of what brought you to single motherhood overtakes your life, body and soul. Its darkness hovers over everything. Jesus reminded his friend, his disciples of some not good times coming for them. He told them how he would be leaving them soon and that many would fall away from Him. This grieved the disciples, shocked that either of those things could happen. Jesus reminds us in John 16:33, "“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Although at the time, I am sure the disciples never thought what Jesus said would come to pass, but it did. Darkness came for them too. Pain is promised, but peace is promised too. Hold firm to Jesus' words that He has overcome every part of your suffering already. He desires to take your hurt and to hold it for you. Spend time in prayer today, releasing today's hurts to Him. He has you and He will never leave you. |
AuthorMelissa Brown is a strong momma who lives in Wapakoneta, Ohio. She enjoys spending time with her daughter, Zoey, and taking long naps. Posts
May 2024
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