Mama, Take Back Your Joy From AnxietyНамуна

It’s a given that we all worry about how we’re doing as a mother, especially when we’re new moms and feel unequipped for this. (If that’s you, you’re doing a great job, and you’ve got this!) There are typical, normal motherhood concerns, and then there’s crippling anxiety where you’re locking yourself in the bathroom because you don’t want your kids to see you have a panic attack. This is when we need God the most, so let’s take a look at Scripture.

The Psalms are comforting, and they cover such a wide variety of emotions we face as humans. But I think what I love most about the psalmist’s words is how many of them address depression and anxiety. In Psalm 94:18–19, the psalmist writes,

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”

your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.

When anxiety was great within me,

your consolation brought me joy.

(Emphasis added so you can highlight that baby
and see where I’m going with this.)

Some translations, like the Christian Standard Bible and the New Living Translation, use the word comfort instead of consolation in this verse, but the word consolation means to provide comfort.

I like this excerpt because it’s not the typical “hand your anxieties over to God, and He’ll take care of it all for you” approach. No. He didn’t say you’re not going to have anxious thoughts in life, but these verses promise He’s going to comfort you when you do. He’s going to support you and take care of you if you feel like you’re slipping into the depths of your anxiety or going through a season where your anxiety is high. He’s the strength you need to face your anxiety head-­on.

His comfort will bring your joy back in motherhood.

If you feel like your anxiety is worse since becoming a mother, it probably is. If you’ve developed anxiety after becoming a mom, well, welcome to the club. To quote my own mother, “I’m a mom; it’s my job to worry.” It’s in our DNA to love our kids unconditionally and fiercely. However, there comes a point where those worries become debilitating, when you suffer from an anxiety disorder and the fear takes over so much to the point where you barely enjoy motherhood (let alone life in general) because of it.

Someday, those beautiful babies will leave our homes (or maybe they already have for you). Time is too precious with them. We don’t want to be consumed with our anxiety and miss out on all the joys of motherhood because we know how darn fast those kids grow up.

Let’s not let anxiety win.

Let’s take our joy back.