What Happens When We Let Jesus Carry Our Burden of Motherhood

Motherhood came with a weight I never expected. Before I became a mom, I dreamed of the good days. . .the best days. I never imagined the hard ones.

Sleepless, newborn nights.

Countless diaper changes.

Toddler tantrums.

Kids needing all the things, all the time.

Sibling rivalry.

Homework struggles.

Adolescent angst and attitude.

I always knew motherhood would be a hard, sacred work but the reality of being responsible for the past, present and future of other human beings was a burden I didn’t understand until it rested heavily on my shoulders.

You simply can’t know what some things are like until you are in the midst of them. Motherhood is one of those things. And because we {and our children} are all created so beautifully unique, we can’t even know what it’s like for the other moms in our life.

So mothers often find themselves carrying a very lonely load of responsibility, guilt, shame, confusion and love. I never thought I’d look at love as part of a load I didn’t want to bear. But with deep love comes the weight of all the other feelings.

Am I doing this right?

How badly am I messing them up?

Why is this so hard for me? It seems so easy for her.

I’m just so tired all the time.

Why do they need me every minute of every day?

I just want what’s best for them.

So much weight. Burdens of motherhood we were never meant to carry alone.

Imagine walking beside your child through Disney World. She wanted to go so badly. She loves every part of that magical place. She’s carrying her amusement park essentials on her back. Sunscreen. Water. Snacks. Rain poncho. An extra shirt in case she gets wet on Splash Mountain. Her favorite toy because it goes with her everywhere. A book to read in case the lines are long. Money for the gift shop. A camera to capture her favorite moments. It’s all there in case she needs it; some because she doesn’t know how to travel without it. But it’s been a long day and she’s tired. Her feet hurt and her legs are about to call it quits.

“I’m so tired, Mommy,” she says. “Can you please carry my stuff for me?”

You strap it on your back because, although you told her not to bring so much, you will gladly lighten her load so she can fully enjoy this memorable experience. You don’t want her to miss out on any part of it. Without the baggage weighing her down, you watch her come alive again, fully taking part in every magical moment.

And so it is with Christ, our traveling companion who simply wants us to experience the abundant life he offers.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on {motherhood}? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

There is a lightness to be felt and a beauty to be embraced at every turn of this journey of raising children. Jesus promises to free up our hearts and our hands by carrying the load. All we have to do is hand it over.

What does it look like to let Jesus carry our load?

We talk with him. Meeting with him regularly to intentionally hand over every thought, question, stress and responsibility that weighs us down. It’s an ongoing, daily process.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

We walk with him. Fully present and engaged in the journey. We don’t get to hand it all over and turn away. We have the privilege of walking with Jesus as he carries our burden and guides us to live life abundantly.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk {with} him. Colossians 2:6 ESV

We trust him. Believing he will not only carry our burdens but that he’ll take care of them, too.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8 NIV

And when we’re committed to this process, we come alive again, fully taking part of every magical moment of motherhood.

What happens when we let him carry our burden of motherhood?

We are free to embrace the beauty of being a mom. That bad mood we felt most days turns into deep, unwavering joy. We find pleasure in both the mundane and the monumental moments of motherhood. Without the burdens heavy on our shoulders, we have the freedom to turn our gaze upward and our perspective completely changes.

God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. Ecclesiastes 3:11-12

We no longer find our identity in our children. “Mother” is not who we are, it’s a role we’re destined to play by grace alone. We are also wife and sister and friend and most importantly, daughter of the King. When our children misbehave we understand it’s not always about anything we did or didn’t do. We separate their developing character from our own. Their mistakes aren’t an indictment on our mothering but rather an arrow pointing us towards an area of needed growth. Without our burdens clouding our view, we gain new vision for how to lead and love well.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT

We find the rhythms of his grace. He shows us a strategy, unique to our life, that is intentional and effective and guided by his grace. We cease to stumble and struggle and we fall into a gentle rhythm of motherhood that allows us to not only take care of the small people around us but our husband, family and ourselves as well.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’ Isaiah 30:21 NIV

We learn to live freely and lightly. We fully embrace the abundant life Jesus provides for us through his sacrifice. We exchange every lie of the enemy for the truth of fullness in Christ. And when we do, there is a joy and a freedom that comes and takes over our heart, our home, our marriage and our children. Everyone thrives when we accept and walk in this gift of new life. But it’s a daily choice. One I’m only just now learning to make again and again, every single day.

He wants to lighten our load. He wants to give us rest. He wants to carry our stuff and show us how to do this motherhood thing with grace and ease. I know it feels so hard most days, but what if it doesn’t have to? What if letting him carry the burden would finally allow us to enjoy being a mom? It might seem impossible as you look at the circumstances and responsibilities around you. But with God, all things are possible. When we give up control and hand it all over to Jesus, he’ll take our burden and journey with us so we can experience the abundant life he promised.

Do you need to let Jesus carry your burden? What can you hand over to him today?