My Cup Overflows: Experiencing God's Comfort in Motherhood's Valleys Намуна

“I will fear no evil,” - Psalm 23:4

As I sat down to work the other morning, I found myself drowning in a wave of anxiety. My body was tense and my mind was preoccupied and unable to focus. I found myself worrying - Because I’m working, my kids are going to be upset, and they’re going to resent me for it.

The reality that morning was, my kids were perfectly happy playing with their babysitter, and after working for a few hours, I had a great rest of the day with my kids. But as this experience illustrates, many times, the discomfort we are experiencing is due to our fear rather than the actual circumstances themselves.

Because of this reality, I find it so fitting that in Psalm 23, the Psalmist David states he will fear no evil in the valley of the shadow of death. He does not say that things won’t be hard or that he won’t feel pain. But he does declare that he doesn’t have to fear.

For you in this season of motherhood, what fear might you be wrestling with? Perhaps you’re shouldering a fear that your baby won’t gain weight. Or maybe, in your transition with a new job or a new school, you fear you won’t ever figure things out. Perhaps, in a life stage that can often be isolating, you fear you won’t find a good community and will always feel lonely.

Today, in a hard moment, try to slow down and notice your thoughts. Are you worrying about something that hasn’t yet happened? So often, the thing we’re anxious about isn’t even in our control. As Jesus asks in Matthew 6:27, “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” He continues in verse 34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Noticing our thoughts and our fears is half the battle. Today, if you realize you are mentally existing in the unknown future, bring yourself back to the present and remind yourself of what is true. As Psalm 23:4 concludes: "I will fear no evil, for you are with me."