When a Mother's Tired Heart Needs Revival

“Here we go again.” Have you ever said that phrase? Usually, I whisper those words to myself when I am feeling weary in the day to day responsibilities of motherhood. Here we go again implies that the toddler may be having a rough morning or the unexpected occured all before breakfast time.

Truthfully, I find myself in a state of deep reflection in motherhood more than any other area of my life. It comes with so many questions about wanting to serve my family well and never making any mistakes. But truly, in all my imperfections, what I believe I long for is for my heart to be revived, refreshed, and renewed daily despite the hardships of motherhood. I yearn for the days where our home smells like sweet freshly baked cinnamon rolls that bring warmth and peace to my body. And as nice as that sounds, it doesn't always feel or function that way.

As I thought about what creates a weary heart as a mother, I often come to the realization that it isn’t my children. It is the expectations I place on myself that makes the view of motherhood seem more chaotic than it ought to be. It is the bickering in my heart that screams I need time alone or more self-care, when in reality, my heart needs revival.

When anyone mentions the term revival, I often think about the church having a powerhouse service or people on the street hearing about the gospel of Jesus. I think about people that are crying out for their lives to transform and be refreshed where their souls are tired. When I think of that image, I know that it is exactly what my heart is constantly in need of in motherhood; revival.

In Psalms 85:6-7 it reads, “Will you not revive us again so that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your faithful love, Lord, and give us your salvation.” The psalmist is asking the Lord if He would revive them “again”. That tells me that it isn’t enough to be revived just one time, it is a work that we need over and over again. By definition, revive means to restore to life or to regain strength. Clearly, that is what I constantly need in motherhood. To admit my weaknesses and regain my strength from the only One who can sustain me.

I need revival in the heart of my motherhood so that I can rejoice in the times that cause me frustration, doubt, and stress. I need revival in my motherhood when the posture of my heart is filled with guilt, shame, and uncertainty. I need revival in my motherhood so that I can soar without the weight and burdens that my flesh will never be able to fill.

To long for the constant need of revival tells me that I am committed to not my own efforts to pour out my heart to my children. It tells me that I don’t have to sit in the dust of shame but that I can arise with strength and resilience alongside Jesus that sustains me more than any other new self-care routine I may find.

So, when I find myself in a state of defeat in motherhood, I can rest in knowing that I can preach the truth of God’s word to my weary and anxious heart and cry out for revival when I am desperately longing for something to fill up my cup where it has run dry. Yes a mother’s heart desires self-care, but in the midst of that, it needs revival for the nourishment of her soul.