by Rhonda Jones
Motherhood is not easy, and at times it feels like the to-do-list just keeps on getting longer every single day – making it difficult for us to experience true joy and peace that can be found in God, our children as well as the Gospel. “A mother’s work is unending”, the old proverb goes. There is much joy to found in the process of raising our kids, but it is so often the case that this joy is laced with frustrations and exhaustion.
The importance of the faith is never lost on Christian mothers, but they often struggle to set aside quality, quiet time to meditate about God and His Word. How can it be quiet, with four hyperactive kids in the house? With grocery shopping and countless household chores to do, soccer practice in the afternoon, etc, is it possible to still find God amidst all this craziness?
The pressures of motherhood can make us feel that we have to put aside spiritual growth until a different season of life. But it shouldn’t be this way. The very challenges of motherhood are, in truth, God’s tools to draw us to the riches of His kingdom and to spur spiritual growth in our lives. Here are 8 Christian meditation tips that all busy mothers will find immensely helpful.
- Slow down
While the Bible sits quietly on the shelves waiting to enrich us, the world bids us to remain busy. You have to enroll the kids for soccer, piano, basketball, tennis, gymnastics – the activities just keep increasing. After all, all the other mothers are doing it. We are advised to keep our diaries full and to perpetually stay on the move, otherwise your kids may miss out, and they won’t be cool. “Get busy and stay that way” is the unspoken mantra if our society. It’s what good’ mothers do.
But the truth is that we need to slow down a bit. It is during the slow moments that we will be able to hear God’s “still small voice”. When we relax a bit and take a step away from the pressure cooker of life, we will able to come to God’s word and speak with Him through prayer. We will be re-energized after drinking from the living well – our Lord Jesus Christ. Make a conscious effort to create a session, however short, during which you can mediate in God’s word. Make it consistent throughout the week, and the rewards will come.
- Audio Bible
Christian meditation is a powerful form of prayer in which a person reads and memorize passages of Scriptures from anywhere in the Bible. Since an uninterrupted slot of time is hard to come by for the busy mother, audio bibles can be a great way to keep listening God’s word while still carrying out chores in the house. Download some bible apps and listen to God’s word as you wash the dishes or iron the clothes. Play the same chapter over and over again so that you will come away from listening with some precious remembrance.
- Meditate in the mornings and evenings
Mornings and evenings have always been the traditional times of Christian meditation and prayer. Psalms 5:3 talks about rising early in the morning to pray and to “wait expectantly” for God. David was a master of devotion, and there are many instances recorded of how he loved spending time with God, despite the fact that he was a busy King! He says in Psalms 63:6 of how he thinks about God while in bed, as the “night watches”. Remember the famous story about Paul and Silas praying and singing at midnight in Acts 16:25? There are so many instances about people praying in the morning and evening faithfully recorded in Scriptures. You too can copy that. Mornings are usually calm and tranquil, and they bring renewal and freshness. So wake up a few minutes before everyone else and spend time with Jesus.
The evenings may be a bit tough due to overwhelming fatigue, but you can dash for a few minutes to your prayer room before jumping to bed for a well-deserved rest.
- Grasp some unique moments to pray
Even in the midst of our fast-paced lives, we can still get one or two moments to pray. I usually murmur some words to God while walking to the grocery. There are a few such moments when it is possible to consciously turn our thoughts to God. The times when you wash the laundry, the dishes, weed the garden, fold the laundry or iron cloths are examples of opportune moments when we can sing a hymn, pray or think about the mercies of God. Don’t let them pass by!
- Be kind to yourself
Don’t beat yourself when you are too tired to read the Bible, or when you fail to complete your meditation sessions. The super mom’ tag is just a myth. At the end of the day, we are only human. When you are overwhelmed by fatigue, and you can barely see the stairs due to sleepy eyes, don’t feel guilty or inadequate. Our God is full of mercies, which renew us from time to time. In 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Paul talks about God’s grace being sufficient, and that His “power is made perfect in weakness”. How comforting!
- Memorize scripture
David talked about hiding God’s word in his heart so that he may not sin. In Proverbs, we are repeatedly admonished to “tie God’s word around our necks”. As a busy mother, learn to memorize bible verses. Remember your favorite scriptures and rehearse them during the tired moments when your heart feels weary. There are sometimes when you are a bit sedentary, such as when nursing your baby. Instead of flipping through your smartphone, remember and recite some verses. You can even reach for the bible and read a verse or two.
- Focus on family devotions
As a family, it is very important to set times during which you will read the Scriptures and pray together. Remember Jesus has promised to be there when two or three are gathered in His name. Family devotions are one way of allowing God’s Word to dwell richly in us (Colossians 3:16). Even if you read only a single verse and say one sincere prayer, you will all feel encouraged and recharged. A family that prays together stays together.
- Pin a few bible verses on the kitchen counter
In the morning, after reading the Bible, note the verse (s) down and pin it on the kitchen counter or on the freezer. If you have other “high traffic” areas in the house, pin the verses too. It is a great way of continually reminding yourself of God’s presence within your house, and to refocus your thoughts even amidst all the chores that you are doing.
Finally, remember that God wants to fellowship with us wherever we may be. Isn’t God Omnipresent? He is always working to ensure that you see His glory throughout the day and night. So even when you are so busy, God is right there with you. You don’t have to wait for the perfect’ moment. Right where you are, in the midst of all the commotion, acknowledge God and think of Him.
