Life as a mom in a large family is a beautiful blessing, but honestly it is also loud, busy, and often times overwhelming. The needs of many people come at us rapid fire, especially if we are responsible not only for our children’s physical and emotional needs but their education as well. There are so many plates that we are trying to keep spinning that our heads end up spinning as well. We need to find our peace in Jesus. Find Peace in Jesus for Overwhelmed Moms.
We think that if only we find the right schedule, chores system or homeschool curriculum that things will feel more peaceful and manageable. But the truth is in the middle of the noise and chaos and lack of control what we really need is to find a constant steady source of rest-and that can only be found in Jesus.
When Chaos Becomes the Normal Rhythm
There’s a unique kind of chaos that comes with motherhood. When you have more than a few young children especially it’s a special brand lol. Someone always needs help with something, someone is always talking, someone is always arguing or crying and there definitely always a mess somewhere (everywhere?!).
Because there is constantly something that needs to be done, constant noise and constant visual disturbance it feels like peace is absolutely just not possible. We see things on the internet and envision peace as something like a quiet morning, an organized pantry, a clean kitchen, children playing happily together, orderly thoughts and happy people and all the chores and to do’s done. But that simply is not real life.
Where Can We Find Peace as Overwhelmed Moms?
Peace has less to do with what’s happening around us and what our circumstances are, but everything to do with Who is within us and with us. Jesus offers peace that exists even when things are not perfect. Jesus reminds us that He is control and we do not need to be perfect. He tells us we do not have to have everything together and it’s ok if things are not going smoothly and we feel overwhelmed. We can trust in Him for how things are, whatever the circumstances may be.
His peace does not depend on our performance, getting discipline perfectly consistent every time. It does not depend on always setting the perfect example for our kids, keeping our tempers completely even keeled in the middle of the madness. We can find peace in motherhood with His presence.
Practical Ways to Find Peace in Jesus for Overwhelmed Mom
💛Prayer As You Go Through the Day
Small moments of prayer as you go about your day can really do a lot to help keep you close to Jesus and drawing peace and strength from Him. If you have longer moments of solitude to sit at His feet even better. Making quiet time for the Lord even in a loud house can be done if you are creative (How I Make Quiet Time for God in a Loud House ). But even if it’s one of those days where there isn’t a moment to think clearly all day, the Lord knows and he leads gently those with young. Taking small bathroom breaks to prayer for strength and peace (instead of scrolling mindlessly or checking social media.)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. – Isaiah 40:11
💛Put Scripture Up Where You Can See It
Sometimes there are seasons where long bible studies are not going to really be in our radars (though slowly working through even at a snails pace is good too!). We should make every effort to be in God’s word daily, but different seasons do call for different approaches in my opinion. Be flexible!
Particularly overwhelming season of motherhood, even with long quiet time, we can find ourselves needing more of God’s truths and words almost as soon as we finished! Having verses that we are meditating accessible and visually reminding us every time we see them really help. We read the verses and are reminded of their truths and this reassures us and brings us peace.
You can get a copy of my free printable Encouraging Verses for Weary Moms here.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. -Romans 8:5-6
I made up some printable scripture cards with 14 different verses about peace. You can print it when you click on the button at the bottom of the post!
💛Worship Music While You Work
There’s something about music that is special, that especially in our most overwhelmed, emotional and tired mom moments, when we can’t think straight or articulate our feelings, that the truths of Jesus through song can bring us peace that God promises. Put on some worship music as you fold laundry, clean up in the afternoon as a family or anytime to be infused by truths about God. These musical eternal reminders help infuse peace into our hearts.
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. -Psalm 147:1
💛Let Any Quiet Moments You Do Get Be Truly Quiet
When we do get the magical moments where it’s quiet in the house because the kids are all playing happily outside, or engaged in some quiet task in the house, it’s really easy to use these moments for something that really doesn’t fulfill us. Let’s use the quiet moments we have free to really connect to the Lord in prayer, meditating on scripture, or doing something that truly refreshes us instead of wasting time on mindless distractions that only drain us more.
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. -Psalm 34:14
💛Don’t Try to Do it All
One of the biggest thieves of peace is unrealistic expectations. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do it all and really there is only so much one mama can do in a day. Pray and ask God what He wants you to focus on for this day and let go of the rest. Some seasons really do just call for getting the basics done and not a lot more. You are likely going to need to say no to someone or something, potentially on a regular basis especially if you have a lot of kids.
So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. -Romans 14:1
💛Trust in God’s Sovereignty
Remembering that the Lord has brought about our circumstances for our good and His good purposes can change the way we feel about how things sit in our lives. One of the greatest sources of stress for moms is the feeling that everything rests on our shoulders. The weight of that responsibility can feel overwhelming. And while we do make a lot of decisions that greatly impact the health and wellbeing of our family we must remember that God is sovereign and we are not. Nothing happens within our homes that is outside of God’s control. He is often working in ways that we do not understand. When we let go and rest in that truth, we have so much more peace over what we are not able to control.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. -Isaiah 26:3
💛Renew Your Mind
Much of the turmoil and chaos that we feel as moms doesn’t start with what challenges we are facing in our homes–it starts in our thoughts. Negative self talk, comparison, worry and fear can quickly steal our peace, even when our day is otherwise running smoothly. That’s why scripture reminds us that peace grows when our minds are anchored in truth.
What does renewing our minds actually mean? It is the process of intentionally replacing negative thoughts (anxious, discouraging, overwhelming, untruthful, unkind thoughts) with God’s truths. It is choosing to believe what God says in His word over what our sinful nature, exhaustion, overwhelming circumstances or culture tells us. It means continually bringing our thoughts back to the Lord. We do this through meditating on scripture, asking the Holy Spirit to help guide us, and calling out the lies we are telling ourselves and replacing those lies with truth. We can truly be TRANSFORMED by the renewal of our minds.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. -Philippians 4:8-9
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. -Romans 12:2
💛Be Thankful
There are many things that cause peace to be truly hard to come by. And any struggles that we have to find or maintain our peace in Jesus are real and valid. But there is also a very real need for us to be thankful for what good the Lord has provided for us. Even the Bible tells us to be thankful for the hard trials as well as the blessings in our lives. Spending time thinking about what is good and true in our hard circumstances really goes a long way to feeling more peaceful about things.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. -Colossians 3:15
Peace Isn’t Found in Perfect Circumstances
Peace isn’t found in perfect circumstances, it’s found in a perfect and present savior. We imagine that if only we can have__________________ (fill in the blank), THEN we can have the peace we crave. The truth though is that even if you can check all your boxes, our hearts might still be in disarray.
But Jesus offers a peace that exists no matter the circumstances of our busy lives as moms. We can be constantly busy with the demands of our day and still experience His calm settling over our hearts. Peace isn’t ultimately found in the absence of noise, but in the presence of Jesus.
💛Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -John 14:27
Dear Mama, your house may be loud and your days may be too full and your attention may often feel pulled into too many directions, but you are not left alone! We all have those days when we feel like we are failing as moms (Encouragement for When You Feel Like You are Failing as a Mom), days when we are snappy, exhausted and stretched thin. But Jesus meets us where we are with love and grace, patience and forgiveness. We can walk in His peace by asking the Holy Spirit to pour it out freely on us in a way that surpasses our understanding.
I hope that you have found something here that encourages you 💛
💛Mandy
If mom life is overwhelming you lately, and you are lacking in peace, check out my Overwhelmed Mom Reset Guide. It’s a free 7 page, 5 step guide that helps you reset in moments of overstimulation and ovewhelm. The reset helps you pray, meditate on scripture and God’s truths and renew your mind so you can be a calmer more peaceful faithful mama.
