Episode 27: A Prayer for the Mom Who Feels Like Something is Missing

You’re listening to episode 27 of Simply Sabbath podcast.

When we arrive at the end of the workweek, there is a beautiful opportunity to welcome the Sabbath and the rest it brings for ourselves and our family. And while it is a beautiful opportunity, it does not come by without intention. I see you and the work you do to usher in this day of rest. You make sure the home is clean, the meals are prepped, and the activities you’ll do together as a family planned. You work with purpose the other six days in anticipation of the seventh.

Before you begin your rhythm of Sabbath welcome, the next few minutes are for you. It is an acknowledgement of the good and loving work you are doing in the various roles you have the responsibility to steward throughout the week. It is a reminder that you are not alone in this desire to live counter culturally. And it is an encouragement to continue seeking to rest with Jesus. So stop what you’re doing. Close your eyes and listen to this, my prayer of blessing over you.

Jesus, we’re tired, us moms.

We move through this life trying to get things on our to-do list done, trying to care for the needs of those around us, care for the needs of those that depend upon us.

We, we feel the weight of responsibility, it’s heavy, it’s taxing.

We wouldn’t trade it for the world. We love our kids. We love our family. We love this life that we are building.

Sometimes it feels like it’s missing something. In the hustle and the bustle and the movement from here to there, we feel like we’ve just lost a bit of ourselves. Lost a bit of who you made us to be, Lord. And we don’t necessarily like it. But we don’t know necessarily what to do about it.

Because it feels selfish and self-serving to say we have lost a bit of ourselves. And it seems to indicate that we might be discontent and and maybe ungrateful? It also seems to imply that by saying that we’ve lost a bit of ourselves, that that is the fault of our kids or our spouse.

But we really, we have no one to blame, but ourselves, Lord,

We have lost the ability to say no and we have silenced the needs of our souls.

Of course, it’s easy to say that we need to care for our souls. We can say, oh, I need to do things that make me feel more like me. It’s easy to say all that that, but it’s harder to put into practice. It’s hard to value our soul care. It is hard to value putting aside time, just focus on us.

So Lord I would ask you to help us reframe that, to help us reframe this idea of valuing the time, the space, the energy that it takes to care for our souls. To refuel that space within us to, to help us return to our whole selves, the selves that you designed us to be.

Help us to reframe it into a mindset of discovery. Of spending an hour with you Lord. Of spending time with you and allowing you to remind us of who it is that you made us to be. Remind us of the unique personality that you gave us. The unique interests, the unique skills and talents, the unique perspective, the unique ways in which you’ve gifted us.

Lord, it help us prioritize that.

Help us to prioritize allowing you to remind us of who you designed us to be.

Help us to value spending time with you. Playfully engaging that part of ourselves that seems to get forgotten. The part of ourselves that has been suppressed in the beautiful and noble pursuit of caring for our families.

So, Lord, as we approach Sabbath, may we designate a time within it, within that safe space, to care for our souls. And in doing so reclaim that childlike exploration and curiosity that we seem to be missing.

May we meet with you and have you remind us who it is that we are. To reclaim the forgotten pieces, to find ourselves once again. Return to our whole selves as we only can when we engage in allowing you to care for our souls. Amen.