Mom Up: A 4-Day Journey Of Hope For MomsSample

Finding Joy in Chaos

Years ago, when the chaos of motherhood seemed unbearable, I wrote this in my journal:

You matter. You’re doing lots of things for other people, but know that underneath that all, and before it all, you matter. You may feel like you’re spinning out of control, but remember that God sees you and not one tear falls unnoticed. Smile through the pain and find joy in the chaos.

Much of what I scribbled in my journal during this hard season was incoherent, a stark reflection of the state of my heart at the time, so I was surprised at the clarity and conviction of this paragraph. It was almost as if I knew I would need this reminder, these many years later: find joy in the chaos.

Motherhood often feels a bit like a cartoon I once saw picturing a woman spinning ten plates in the air with her children running circles around her feet. What was meant for a laugh hit a little too close to home. Most days I feel like the woman in the cartoon (who am I kidding? Not most days … I feel like her every day!). But what spoke to me most about the cartoon was the look on the woman’s face. She was smiling.

I like this cartoon because I think it speaks to a broader truth: no matter how hard the task before us or how many plates we have to keep spinning, it’s always better when we can do it with a smile. It’s more fun when we find the joy in the chaos. I want to encourage us all (yes, me too. Preaching to the choir here!) to smile a little more, laugh a little more, and enjoy the chaos a little more. To find ways to truly love this wild and wonderful life we’ve been given.

When we choose to follow Jesus, He gives us His Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit comes with a lot of great perks. In Galatians 5, we learn about the fruits of the Spirit, all things that are given to us. We can find joy in the chaos because it’s already inside of us. Joy is different from happiness. Joy is a gladness that isn’t dependent on our circumstances. We find joy in the chaos when we are focusing on God’s purpose for our lives, not on what is happening in the moment. We are assured that He has a great plan for us as moms, and we can be filled with joy in knowing that.

So, it’s up to you. Are you going to choose grumpiness? Or are you going to find joy in the chaos? Are you going to be angry and frustrated? Or are you going to find joy in the chaos? Are you going to sulk in your weakness? Or are you going to find joy in the chaos? It truly is a wild and crazy journey being a mom! Let’s keep finding abundant joy in the chaos!

We hope you enjoyed the Mom Up reading plan. You can learn more about Kara-Kae James and her new book Mom Up here.