Have you ever thought or said any of these things? “I am so stupid!” “What an idiot I am!” “I can’t believe I just said that!” “I’m not a good parent.”
You try to be the perfect parent. And if you’re a single mom, you’re doing it all alone. You’re tired and worn out, especially after a long day at work. You’re making dinner, throwing in a load of laundry, and trying to help with homework. Rushing around like a nut!
“Haste makes waste” has just played out in your home, and you reacted. Or perhaps, your child acted like, well a child, and you reacted in frustration. And then, regret sets in. “Why? Why do I say these things?” you ask yourself. You love your child/ren more than anything else.
Can you relate to this? I know I can because this was me when my children were home.
We all experience frustration in life– trying to make life work, and it just isn’t working. We shouldn’t be surprised. Jesus tells 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.”
So here you go. We live in a fallen world, which means trouble or difficulties are part of it. You don’t need to be surprised or frustrated that life isn’t going perfectly. Look at the verse again, you can have peace in Him.
There is a book I read about ten times. It’s called “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp. I can relate to it because she has six kids, like I do. She homeschools, like I did. And she reacts at times to what her children do, like I did. But what she does, that is so valuable, is reflect on the thought process that led to her reaction. And then, she thinks about what should have happened. She thinks about how there should have been a pause, a pause where the Holy Spirit reveals God’s heart for her children, a pause that would give her the ability, through the Holy Spirit, to respond as God would.
Do you think that’s possible? It is! Is that something you would like to do? Whether it’s with your children, your spouse, other family members or co-workers, you can pause and then, respond, and NOT react. You can order this book on our affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3zqtxJD (That means Hope for Single Moms gets money when you buy this.)
Our bible study “Why? for single moms” goes through the process of learning how to live life with the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is great for a single mom support group at a church or pregnancy care center. But it’s not just for single moms! It’s truth transcends circumstances. The circumstances presented are relatable to any mom. You can learn more about it at https://hsmgr.org/bible-study/ and follow along at https://www.facebook.com/why4sglmoms